To Tame a Beast
by Glass Angel1
Summary: Dilandau was created to be the perfect soldier, but became a complete failure due to his mental state. But, what if he wasn't the only project the Zaibach scientists were working on? What if Dilandau wasn't the only weapon made?
1. Prologue

_To Tame a Beast_

Rest of Summary,  
  
Dilandau was created to be the perfect soldier, but became a complete failure due to his mental state. But, what if he wasn't the only project the Zaibach scientists were working on? What if Dilandau wasn't the only weapon made?

* * *

She stared at the bloody field. The fires from the countless houses continued to dance a crossed the starless night sky. The blood of the pure, the bodies of the innocent, and the remains of the guilty stained the ground. She closed her eyes trying to block it all out, but the smell of the burnt wood, the warm blood, and the screams that echoed in her mind wouldn't let her forget, she could still see it all even in the darkness. No matter how much she hated it, no matter how much she tried to shut it out, the secret thrill of it all played at the smile on her lips.  
  
What had 'they' done to her? Why did this 'thing' she hated so much bring this thrill, this... excitement? She opened her eyes slowly again, their vibrant sapphire pools looked over the massacre she had just made. They slowly passed over the small bodies of the young children, who will never again know life, the bodies of the older ones, who will never become anything greater, and the bodies of the adults, who will never see their grandchildren. She had killed more than soldiers, more then the ones who could fight, the threat; she had killed needlessly but for what?  
  
For the thrill, the power she felt when she cut down the soldiers, the 'high' she got from the screams of the dying, but none of this ever lasted. No it would leave when it was all over, leaving her feeling empty, alone, and lost; vulnerable. But, it was also the same feeling she had when she started these massacres. So when did this feeling of vulnerability become a thrill? The cruel smile that once played at her lips was gone, the feeling of being alone sweep through her body. Falling to her knees, she continued to stare at the burning village. Was this what 'they' wanted her to become? Something so soulless that cared not for the consequences of what it did, but rather for the feeling it received while doing it? What kind of monster had 'they' carved her into?  
  
"Berserker..." The word left her lips soundly. Yes, the hated word, but it was what she had become, was it not? She had no control what she did, but she could see it all while it happened. So did it not make her that? A berserker, a warrior frenzied in battle, and invulnerable to the screams and pleads of the dying? She stare turned down to her black gloved hands. There was nothing there to ruin the pureness of that black, but to her eyes these hide the blood stained hands that could never be cleaned. She could barely remember what it was like before 'they' took her away. She could see the faces of people she once knew smiling at her, and once these helped her through it all. But now, she cursed them. How could the smile when she was in pain? When she was forced to kill like this for the 'security' it gave her?  
  
No, the names of those people had been replaced with the memories of 'their' hands; the beatings, the information forced into her mind, the battle tactics, places, names of other people, but most of all 'their' hands. She shivered uncontrollably, even if it was too warm from the burning fires. She held herself trying to keep warm, to chase away the coldness that filled her. She sat there holding herself, looking at the ground down in front of her, no longer able to look at the destruction she had caused. After a few moments, the dry, dusty ground seemed to get wet from the drops of rain. But it took her mind time to register that it was not raining, but in fact, she was crying. It took her mind a few more minutes to realize that she was actually sobbing, rocking herself back and forth.  
  
Lost, alone, and so empty. The void of the darkness crept on her, as the fires died to smoldering heaps. How long had she been like this? How long had she been here? When had the battle ended, the screams stop? The faint sound of beeping began to echo in her ear, it became louder when she registered where the sound was coming from. With her arms still wrapped around herself, she stood up and turned away from the village to look at the black monster behind her. The guymelef towered over her, its stealth cloak fluttered in the high wind here on the cliff's edge. Her tool, the thing she used to burn their bodies, cut down the soldiers. But was it her tool, or was she its tool? The beeping noise became louder, as a red light flashed in the cockpit. Silently she walked up to it, hesitated and pushed the button.  
  
"009 are you there? I repeat 009, are you there? Please respond." She looked one last time at the destroyed village before responding the call of the monster.  
  
"This is 009, mission complete."

* * *

I'm guessing I went the teaser... . ; O well, don't shoot me, I'll try to get chpt one up before tomorrow... if the old toggle doesn't steal the computer from me first 


	2. Rei

_To Tame a Beast_  
  
Thanks, ENIGMA for the spell check.... Yes I know the 'do' should be 'due' I kinda figured that out when I rechecked my work AFTER I posted....bright ain't I?  
  
Just to give you all a language lesson, rei means "zero" or "nothing" in Japanese... Hopefully. This is coming from a friend, so I'm not sure if it is, so if its not don't shoot the messenger!

* * *

Chpt. 1 _Rei_  
  
"Yes! BURN, BURN, BURN!!" Dilandau cried, laughing. He cut down the soldiers in front of him easily, and lit the flame thrower to scorch the ground around him. The screams of the dying soldiers echoed in the cockpit of the Alseides, but he didn't care. No, the sight of the fire and the blood was thrilling. He cut down the next with ease, and shot the other with a crima claw while doing it. Pathetic soldiers, they were nothing compared to him, just pathetic wanna-bees. "DIE!!"  
  
In less than an hour from the start of the battle the troops of the apposing country was leveled, and retreating from the assault of Dragonslayers' wrath. The Alseides stood on the edge of the cliff side watching them run, but more solely at the fires that burned down the once green forests.  
  
"Burn, burn it all to the ground," he laughed again, as he licked his lips. His squadron gathered behind him, awaiting their next move. Dilandau's red eyes turned their attraction back to the retreating soldiers. "Cowards, running away from a fight! How cowardly of you all. Stealth Cloaks on we're going after them!"  
  
"But Lord Dilandau, our orders where to take the base, no-" Miguel's voice was cut off when Dilandau punched his melef.  
  
"I SAID we're going after them!" He snarled at his soldier, who slowly back away asking for forgiveness. He turned back to the empty field. They had retreated beyond the forest edge. _Damn, well we'll just have to smoke them out_; he smirked as he hit the switch of the stealth cloak and lit the forest again with fire. "Ha ha, BURN!!"  
  
"Dilandau, return to the Vione." Folken's cool voice called on the intercom.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"I said, return to the Vione. Your men can finish the rest." Snarling again, he disabled the cloak, and took to the air back to the floating fortress that hung in the sky.

* * *

Dilandau slammed his fist against the wall as he walked down to Folken's study. How dare he recall him in a battle?! The soldiers in the hallways ducked out of his way as he passed them. His red eyes flared in fury. How dare Folken recall him?! He punched the wall again as he came up to the study.  
  
"FOLKE-" Dilandau stopped short as the door opened. He had expected to see the blue haired fool sitting at the table waiting for him. But both chairs were empty, and instead of Folken, a white haired girl occupied the room. He stood at the doorway staring at her. The girl's long white hair was pulled back into a braid that fell down to her waist. Her bangs were cut at different lengths hiding her eyes. Not that it mattered anyways; she was looking to the side away from him at the balcony. His eyes trailed down her body, she was a dark tan, little muscle, but her figure was well curved. That much he could see from the clothes she wore. The black spaghetti strapped shirt was almost completely see-through, and stopped just over her stomach. Her black shorts were low cut, letting the straps of her g-string ride over her hipbones. Her long slender legs were crossed in front of her as she half leaned back against the wall.  
  
"I see you have met your new Dragonslayer, Dilandau." Folken's calm voice came from behind him, as the taller man walked into the room.  
  
"New Dragonslayer?!! Are you mad, she's a girl!" he yelled, not taking his eyes of her. She didn't even flinch, as his voice pierced through the room like most his slayers did. Folken just calmly sat down in on of the chairs, and turned his head over to the girl.  
  
"You're more then welcome to test her abilities if you disagree with the generals, Dilandau." Dilandau snarled as he took a few steps towards her.  
  
"What is your name girl." He demanded, at first she didn't even move. He was about to say it again louder until her head slowly moved to look at him. Through the shadows of her white bangs, a set of sapphire eyes blankly stared at him. At first he nearly stepped back from her, the emptiness was startling. But stopped himself and repeated the question. "What is you-"  
  
"Rei..." She replied cutting him off, her voice was almost as empty as her eyes.

* * *

Leave it there because I can. and just in time before I have to fork over the computer to the professor. R&R 


	3. Touch and I break

_To Tame a Beast_  
  
AA!!! I forgot to do the disclaimer!! banging head on the closes wall Damn it.... Well here it is, better late then never. I do NOT own escaflowne...or Dilandau....even like many fans, I wished I did. BUT I do own Rei.

* * *

Chpt 2 _Touch, and I break_  
  
He growled from his throne, what on Gaea were the generals thinking? Sending him a weak girl. What kind of joke was this? She stood across the large room with Folken. Whatever he was saying to her, she didn't look as if she was listening. There were three others present in the room, two of the lower class soldiers under his command and one of his personal Dragonslayers, Guimel. The soldier out on the floor nervously swung his sword; Rei barely glanced up as he did so. Folken held out a long sword but she pushed it back into his hands and walked out on to the floor. This made the soldier even more nervous, bad enough going against a girl, but one not armed? Dilandau sat his head on his hand, this was going to be short.  
  
"No arms?" She just shrugged an answer to him. Brushing her braid off her shoulders, she signaled for her opponent to begin. With a loud cry, the blond charged, but with a quick ease Rei moved over to the side last second, and brought her fist down on his exposed neck, a loud cracking sounded echoed before he fell down unconscious. Dilandau's head snapped up, the battle hadn't even begun and it was already over. She kicked the unconscious boy off to the side and beckoned the next out. His soldier shuffled uneasily. Snarling, Dilandau motioned him ahead to continue. This time, the young soldier waited for Rei to make the first move unlike his friend. Which didn't really matter, in less then a minute she had unarmed him, and had him pinned to the floor. Now he was frowning, the two were the top of their ranking, and they had been beat by a girl? Now it was Guimel's turn, unlike the two in ahead of him, he didn't let her make the first or second move; actually he 'tested the water first' before charging but instead of swinging, he back handed her sending her to the floor. Dilandau smiled as Guimel took his sword back up to finish it, but he missed the grin on Rei's face seconds before the sword came down. But, not the sound of metal hitting metal.  
  
Lying on her back, she held the sword off with two short daggers crossed above her head. Unfortunately, it seemed, as she reared her foot into Guimel's groin, she could be a very 'low' fighter. Backing off with a groan, Guimel took a few steps back before retaking his stand. This was a mistake; Rei was already back on her feet with one dagger singing through the air at him. He didn't have time to block it as she charged forward with the other, knocking his sword aside and holding the dagger to his throat. The battle was over in less then ten minutes. This infuriated Dilandau, how the hell could a GIRL defeat one of his top soldiers!? Pulling the dagger out of Guimel right shoulder, she smirked at him as she put them back into her boots. That was it, he had had enough of this game.  
  
"All of you out! You too Folken!" If the blue baka was expecting this he didn't show it. He just handed her the sword before following the others out with a funny smile on his face. Not really caring at the time, Dilandau turned his attention to the girl in front of him. She was staring coldly at him like she had before. "So, you want to become a Dragonslayer..."  
  
"Who said anything about wanting to become anything?" Her responds was fast and cold like her glare. Dilandau just smiled, as he started to circle around her.  
  
"Alright, if that is so then why are you here?"  
  
"Heh, because I'm following orders."  
  
"Who's?" He stopped in front of her, arms crossed.  
  
"Ask Folken, I stopped listening after awhile." She smiled, half heartily, Dilandau returned it. He stood there for a few more moments looking her over. For a fighter, she carried no scars, but something about her eyes told a different story. Unconsciously his hand move to tilt her head up a bit so he could see them better. Big mistake, her hand was gripped down hard on his wrist. "Touch me, and you'll find out just how many bones are in your wrists."

* * *

Due to the sudden writer's block that just came up... I'll have to do the other thing I planned for the next chapter...... That and six reviews in less then...ooo three days?, I'll start to think someone is going to kill me if I wait any longer for the next chapter r&r 


	4. Dreamers

_To Tame a Beast_  
  
Evilness!! Couldn't upload for a week. Very evil, at less I know that it wasn't just me, and I lost the bet that it was the computer. But then again writers block is still evil, still having problems for the other story, grrrr someone is going to get hurt, that and I reread my author's note, got to love the fact I forget to reread my work when I'm in a rush.....

* * *

Chpt 3 _Dreamers_  
  
Guimel shifted a bit uneasily as he walked in front of the white haired girl. Thirty minutes ago he had lost a fight to her, and waited outside the door to Folken's instructions until she came out after Lord Dilandau had dismissed him. Now, he had been ordered to take her to the Dragonslayers' bunk. Was she supposed to be a new slayer? The taping noise behind him was starting to rattle his nerves. Her sword tapped steadily against the top on her boot each time she moved. He had tried before to start some sort of conversion with the girl, but she would either go 'Hn' or just plainly ignore him. Before he opened the door to the room, he could hear the voices of his comrades talking. This was going to be strange, having a girl in here.  
  
"I wonder who it is for?" Shesta was saying as the slayers sat scattered around the room, the five of them either sat on the beds (that formed half a circle) or on the floor. A seventh bed was added, having a small bag sitting on top, but was over in a corner near the balcony. Gatty looked over at the door, and waved him in. They probably didn't see the girl yet.  
  
"Hey, Guimel, what's up with the new Drag-" all the talking stopped when the girl stepped out from behind his shadow. She scanned the room over slowly, barely giving any of them a second glance.  
  
"Aa, hi?" were the first words from Miguel that broke the silence of the room, but a quick glare from the cold sapphire eyes silenced them again. She walked past them to the bed at the far corner. The tapping of her sword continued until she undid the buckle and laid it down on the chest at the end of the bed. Guimel just shook his head, and stripped down out of his armor jacket. His shoulder still hurt a bit, but the blade of her dagger didn't go in all the way.  
  
"What's up with her? And what happened to your shoulder?" Shesta whispered, as he laid back on his bed. _Today was tiring enough to not need questions_, he groaned inwardly.  
  
"She's the new slayer; now go to bed all of you. We have a long day tomorrow." The others groaned as they moved to their beds, and as someone hit the lights. What was with this new girl? Not that he had a problem with a new fighter female or male. It was just, the way she acted.  
  
She half listened to the groans of the boys', as she stood by the bed silently until the last of the lights went out. Walking over to the glass doors, she looked out on to the moonlight sky. How pathetic, after years of one cage, she willing came into another cage. Even more pathetic, she came here.  
  
With a snort of disgust, Rei walked back over to the small plain bed. The metal chest at the base held the uniform and the rest of the 'junk' that came with being here. She yanked the leather backpack off the bed. It was small, but held all the things she could call hers. The replacement daggers for if the ones in her boots broke or were lost, the nine throwing knifes, the spiked ball that was normally at the end of her braid (but at Folken's request she had taken it out), a few stolen records, and a black pressed rose. Sometimes she wondered why she kept the last item, but after so long she had stopped caring. Rei stashed the pack under the chest's contents before kicking off her boots and plopping down on the stiff bed. _How pathetic all this is..._

_(Dream)  
_  
  
_She sat in the corner of the cell, sharpening the edge of the rock with a flat piece of useless metal. Her white bangs danced annoyingly in front of her eyes as she worked. The cuts along her arms had long since dried, but the smell of the warm blood still tingled her noise. The bruises along her inter thighs and her lower stomach where still darkening. 'Last time' were the only words running through her fixed mind. Last time, I let 'them' near me, last time I let 'him' touch me.  
  
Sudden movement and a small cry from her left caused her to snap up from her work, cutting the tips of her fingers. The small, suppressed sob came again as her little cellmate appeared from the shadows. His silverish hair fell down to his chin, some of it covered his face but not enough so she couldn't see his eyes. Yet so innocent looking were those ruby eyes, yet never clean, always clouded with the drugs he was given.  
  
"What ya doing?" he asked as he sat down next to her. A year younger he was to her, Why did they do this to children so young? She could remember some of the past cellmates. A blond girl that was killed in one of her trials, a small dusty haired boy who would have been nine by now but he had committed suicide. The next two she barely remembered but they had died in battle. There once had been two twin cats that shared this cell too, but she could never remember were they disappeared to. Now she shared this cell with two more twins. Though never both of them at the same time, sometimes it was the little blue eyed girl or this one. Not that it mattered they, both annoyed her. "Hey, are you going to answer me!"  
  
It wasn't a question but a demand, she frowned. What were they teaching him? Shaking her head she went back to work, the blood from her finger tips covered the blade. The boy hung over her shoulder waiting for a reply, but when it didn't come he tried to snatch the weapon out of her hands only to fail as she jumped up quickly out of his reach. She stumbled as the pain shot up from her legs. The door for the cell opened, as she fell back down to the floor. The boy turned his attention to the light brown furred 'dog-man' that walked in, ane little blondish silver haired girl clinging to his leg. When she saw the boy she was off the Wolfman's leg and running to him.  
  
"Dilly!!" She cried happily as she threw her arms around his neck. 'Dilly' struggled trying to get her off.  
  
"Cel, let me go!"  
  
"They said you could come back now. So me and Jajuka came to get you. See I told you they weren't going to keep you long!!" She looked past 'Dilly' and smiled at her as she tried to stand again.  
  
_  
  
She woke up in a cold sweat, how she hated dreams. Especially when she could never remember what they were about, just the faces that lingered on in her mind. The morning light creped into the room. Wasn't she supposed to get up before dawn? Someone's hand touched her shoulder. Grabbing the dagger from under the pillow, she gripped the arm and turned sharply on the bed, holding it to the person's throat. The frightened blue-green eyed Dragonslayer stared at her.  
  
"Umm, Umm Lo-Lord F-Folken wants to see y-you." She loosened her grip on the boy's arm.  
  
"Hn."

* * *

Mwahaha, that makes.... Nine projects in all... was going for a tenth but I couldn't come up with anything for him R&R


	5. Deals

_To Tame a Beast_  
  
Sorry everyone for taking so long to write the next chapter. I have been busy with getting ready to go on my trip for this summer. This kinda means for today June 28, to July 19 I won't be able to upload any new chapters for a while. I'll be out of country and with out a computer. But I will be writing chapters, and if I'm really lucky my home stay family that I will be with half way through my trip will let me use their computer and I my just be able to get same chapters up, but that's not a promise So see ya'll in a few weeks

* * *

Chpt 4 _Deals  
_  
She stood out on the balcony flipping through the small brown folder, Folken standing next to her waiting for a reply. The high winds blew back her bands from over her face as Rei studied one page and flipped on to the next one, at a slow grueling pace. After a while she flipped it back to the beginning, to the small shadow graph.  
  
"Doesn't look that hard, pretty boy can take care of this blind folded. Or am I to guess his failure goes beyond just his mentality?" She snorted in discuss as she looked out onto the trees below them, ad tossed the folder off over the railing.  
  
"He probably could, but-"  
  
"They want to see if there is another way to control me, eh? Heh." She laughed as her hand tossed the braid off her shoulder. "Haven't they learned yet that it's either the drugs or just leave me in a damn metal cell? I thought my little job with the madoushi had a nicer effect on them. But looks like it didn't if their letting me out of my cage a month later." She grabbed the armored jacket off the railing and slipped it back on.  
  
"It had more of am impacted then you give yourself credit for, Rei. In fact their down to two choices, find an alternate control or terminate the project completely," Folken replied coolly as Rei began to walk back inside.  
  
"Terminate me, hn?" She stopped half way, and turned to look at him, "My, they rather kill me off instead of the failure? Heh, well then, I'll give you a chance to figure it out, and I'll help with this lovely little problem that baka Dilandau can't handle. But I'm warning you ahead of time. Just because they put me under him, doesn't mean I'm going to listen to him, understood? I have more talent in my pinky then that boy has all together."

* * *

Dilandau paced slowly up and down the training floor watching his slayers as they went over the basics. Every now and then someone would drop his sword, and Dilandau wouldn't be too far behind to yell at them. He stopped aside to watch Shesta, and Rei. It seemed every two seconds she had the boy bet, and each time in a different way. The girl must have had extensive training from were she came before she ended up here. Though, from last nights show, she didn't seem much in the mood for showing off any more of her skills, just with the basic stands Rei would lead Shesta into a trap he couldn't get out of.  
  
In less then five hours from now, they would be taking off from the Vione to finish what they had started the other day. Last night's attack on the Celtic army wasn't finished just yet; they were able to retreat beyond the mountain ridges in the north. The Vione could only take them to the edge of the pass before they would have to use the melefs the rest of the way. Though, this also presented another problem, Dilandau was short one melef. Now it was up to him to either leave Rei here, or have her work solo on the ground, cleaning up anything that the rest of them can't get to. He watched her disarm Shesta again before moving back to pacing. It would give him a chance to see actual how good she was, Dilandau could tell she was holding back the night before, ad even now. Even though he hated to admit it, the girl was probably as good as he was, and maybe then some. His hand twitched, he needed something to hit.  
  
Each of the Dragonslayers stood in a straight row out in the hanger as Dilandau walked out. He glanced over each on as he walked by, and stopped in front of Rei. Unlike the rest of his men, her armor wasn't blue, or even red, it was a glossy black. Her long braid hung over her shoulder, swinging oddly, as she returned his glare. Dilandau held out a small intercom.  
  
"You know how to use this right?" She snatched it out of his hand, and studied it for a moment, before undoing her jacket. She hooked the small metal box to the pants, and hooked the ear piece on before closing the jacket back up.  
  
"Yes." Rei responded bluntly, without out adding 'Lord Dilandau' at the end. He growled inwardly. The first thing he was going to have to do when they got back was to teach this girl respect, or maybe just to fear him.  
  
"Fall out, boys. We have some cowards to hunt down!" Dilandau yelled, the slayers took off towards their blue melefs, he turned back to Rei. "Ladies first." He smirked.

* * *

The wind ran hard against her face, as she clamped down on the Alseides' arm. They were coming closer to the drop off, but this ride was starting to get annoying. She looked over to the side past the guymelefs to the towering Vione in the distances.

(flash back)  
  
She straightened the cloak a bit as she waited for Dilandau to start up the Alseides. Ladies first, she grinded her teeth together in a low growl, _I'll show him. I hate having to work under idiots like him!  
_  
"You know, doing that is bad for your teeth." Folken's voice came from behind her. Rei whirled around to face him, his faces was a blank, emotionless stare, as she brushed her braid off her shoulder. The spiked ball pricked at her lower back.  
  
"Its better then punching him in the face isn't it? I thought you wanted me to behave." She smirked, as she turned back around. "Here to give me my daily battle dosage of anesthesia? Or am I on another drug now?" A small prick on the back on her neck gave the answer before Dilandau yelled at her to get on.

(end)  
  
Her hands were starting to fall asleep, as the Alseides landed. Behind him the other six did as well and turned on their stealth cloaks. She undid the black cloak, and let the winds off the cliffs carry it off as she jumped down form the Alseides' arm. Rei clicked a button on the intercom, and a small see-through red circle fell over her left eye.  
  
"Can you hear me?" Dilandau's voice came on, she turned around. The small red circle blinked once, and she was able to see were all the melefs were standing.  
  
"See, and hear."  
  
"Good, remember stay behind us, and clean up anything we can't get to. Dragonslayers! MOVE OUT!" She turned around to look at the pass, something heave fell down a few yards away from her. Then another as the melefs came back into her view. She pulled out her sword and a dagger for her other hand. That is, failure, if you can't move faster then me, she laughed a she ran forward. The screams had already started, as the fires danced up into the night sky.

* * *

There we go. A kinda cliff hanger.. Alright I stopped just before the interesting part, shoot me. I leave in an hour I had to type really, really fast Prepare world, I'm going on a plane to Europe run for your lives!!!!!!!! j/k R&R 


	6. Kiss of Death

_To Tame a Beast  
_  
Did any one miss me? Well I'm back; my trip was great... except the drama... To much drama.. Anyways, I'm back and I wrote this chapter for all of you who have been waiting for it. It should be very long... I mean when I was writing it on my note book it was like thirteen pages long... and I still wasn't finished..  
  
O, and thanks to darkgoddess for the reviews for all five chapters I feel loved! O an Yes I know it's not right that a girl from gaea to have an earth name but (evil I am) there is a very good reason behind that and your going to have to wait a while to see whylaughs this is why my friends hate me when I write stories.. I always give hints at things and make them mad when I don't tell them but I love doing it.  
  
Anyways on with the story! My battle scenes need some work, but o well.. I was writing them on the evil plane..

* * *

Chpt. 5 _Kiss of Death_  
  
The enemy was clueless to their attack, men scattered about in fear as they tried to retaliate. Fires torched the woods in the valley, between the cliffs. Dilandau laughed chaotically as he burned the ground around him. Yes burn, burn it all down, until there was nothing left. Cowards shouldn't live, only the strong, the powerful. He cut down the old style melefs in front of him. Sometimes he would take his time at tearing them apart. After a while his mind registered a constant beeping that echoed in the cockpit.  
  
"Dilandau-sama?" Dalet's voice came on over the intercom, blocking out the screams of the dying.  
  
"WHAT?!!" He snapped, torching the closes thing of soldiers, as arrows started flying through the air. Morons, those can't do anything to guymelefs...  
  
"I lost Rei's signal, she's not coming up on the radar. "Dilandau snarled, and glanced up quickly at the radar before he had to turn his attention back to the battle raging around him. On the small round screen blinked six red dots, his six slayers, but were the hell was that blue dot? He flipped the chancels on the com, and waited for it to warm up.  
  
"Rei.." The line was silent, as he repeated her name louder. "Rei... Rei! Answer you fucking bitch, I'm not in the mood for this!"  
  
"You know, you don't have to yell so loud. I can hear you just fine." Her cool voice came on, as Dilandau took down another melef, and set the archers' hiding places on fire. "I'm busy, what do you need?  
  
"Why aren't we picking up your signal?"  
  
"Maybe I'm out of range.." She whispered sarcastically. "I turned it off, it was distracting me." A snapping noise echoed on the com, Dilandau heard her curse and mumble something about a tree. Dilandau let the flame thrower set the area on fire again before continuing.  
  
"Turn it back on, if we don't know where you are, you could get yourself killed." The line was silent again for a while before a quiet click came on over the com. A small blue dot began to blink again on the screen above him. Dilandau growled, it was several meters away from the battle. "Where are you?"  
  
"Can't you see me? The valley between the two razor cliffs, Prince Tettro's main camp is located here, and don't bother coming up here. The melefs can't fit between the spaces; you have to come in on foot. You're going to have to change the Ronda-view point though, it's hard getting back down from here. Pick me up at the cliffs edge, Rei out." There was a click as the line turned off before Dilandau could respond. Fucking woman, she was acting as if she was the commander, he just growled, he'll have to find someone to take his anger out on, no doubtfully her.  
  
"Meeting at the razor cliffs in 20!!" he yelled over the intercom.

* * *

Blood, yes that is what the beast lived for. She could fell it, fighting against its restrains. Fighting to control her, to kill them all slowly, it wanted blood. She would fight to control it, as she used its strength to cut down each soldier, fast, and quietly before an alert could be sound. But this fight for control was always lost. The Beast would win in the end, destroying its restrains and taking control. When it killed it made an art of it, first it would launch the dagger to kill the prey, and while it was still standing, it would cut it down in to pieces before ripping out the dagger and throwing it again. It wanted to do everything personally. It wanted to feel the warm blood splatter a crossed it's face, and body. It wanted to tasted the fear of it's prey as they dead.  
  
This was the only feeling she found, that the beast had, the passion of death. But, in the end of it all, it would stand alone looking over the fires and the dead. It would be feeling something, incompletion, but it was not looking into the flames for victory. It was looking for something. At this time, it would return to its cage. The restrains of her mind, letting her have control once again, but leaving her feeling empty, alone inside. Once, a month ago, the beast would not retreat to its cage, the madoushis tried everything they could to restrain both her and it. But in the end, it broke free and killed almost all that were in the left tower, including the madoushi that was in charge of the 009 project. But, on the last victim, the beast did something unnatural for itself. In its moment of rage it let her kill the madoushi's assistant, to show her that she shouldn't fear anything. So, to return the favor for the years of beatings and rape when she was younger, she killed the man slowly mimicking what she had seen so many times before, laughing as the man screamed to death.  
  
It was then, later when they found her with her guymelef, that she began to understand the beast that lived within her. It was no looking in the flames for something; it wanted someone, someone that would give it its wish for death. Her own wish for death, for the tortures to end, had imbedded itself into its mind, and now it wanted its own death. But it simple would not kill itself. No, it wanted to die in battle, to find the one that would best it on the battle field. This was why she didn't tell Dilandau in the first place that there were two camps. She knew what the odds were taking this alone, eighty-nine against one. That was the only way her death would come. If she could be out numbered, for no one was strong enough to stop her alone. Death was what the beast thirst for, so she would dance with it. The beast kicked the ashes of a close by fire, causing smaller ones to start up all around her. Let them came.

* * *

"Prince Tettro!" The blond turned his head to the side to watch the older general come running up to him. He looked back over the burning valley. "Our men are under attack. We must assist them!"  
  
"Why do that?" the boy asked with a laugh. He could see the flames torch the area that the archers were hiding. How interesting the technology of Zaibach was. Even if it was helping them win this battle. "Do they know we're up here?" The gray haired general shook his head with a frown. He looked down at the battle unfolding itself below them before answering.  
  
"No milord."  
  
"Then, once the Zaibach fools finish them off, they'll think that they have one. And once their backs are turned, we'll kill them." He turned away from the battle and walked over to a table near by.  
  
"But, Milord! We would lose more then one third of our army!" The prince knocked the general a crossed the face, and cursed.  
  
"Their lives are worth a victory for my father! Zaibach will fall and Celtic will win, understand?!" Tettro never got an answer as the general fell forward onto the ground with a dagger imbedded in the back of his skull. He stepped back a few steps before he looked up, fires burned the woods and his camp, his soldiers load on the ground some without limbs or even heads, body pieces were scattered every where. And, there, amidst the death stood the demon with the flames dancing around her legs. The flames glittered off the thin coat of sweat that covered her tan body. The black spaghetti strapped shirt glistened as she walked towards him, sword tapping against the ground. Unconsciously, every step she took forward, he would match with a step back. It wasn't until she knelt down to pull out the dagger from his general's skull, that he released his mistake.  
  
"W-what are y-you?" Tettro stuttered as she stood back up, white bangs covered her eyes. As she tilted her head up a bit a red circle shielded her left eye from view. It was connected onto a piece of metal that was attached along the side of her head. He slowly drew out his sword as she started towards him again, blood dripped down off her face and arms. "W-what d-do you w-want?"  
  
An evil smile played at her lips as she took up her sword, her head slowly rose up to look at him. The red circle snapped up off her eye, and back along to her ear. Her cold eyes fixed on him, the dark pools of blood shot blue reflected the fires from below.  
  
"Prince Tettro de Celtian.... Target registered." The demon said suddenly aloud, with an emotionless voice. The smile deepened as the blueness in the demon's eyes gave way to the blood red. "Target confirmed."  
  
The prince never had a chance. Before he could use his sword in his hand to defend himself; the dagger left her hand and imbedded itself into his chest. Not exactly on the man's heart, no, it wanted to play with him first. The dagger had cut a main artery; Tettro would bleed to death in the matter of minutes. Not that she cared, he'd be dead long before that. He fell to his knees as she walked up to him, putting her sword back into its sheath. Blood began to pool up in his mouth as she towered over him. Fear flooded his green eyes as her left hand took up a hand full of his blond hair.  
  
The demon brought her face down close to his, the smile gone as it studied him. Her right hand gently wiped away the blood that ran down his cheek before lightly pushing her lips against his. The last thing in the young prince's mind would be that kiss, as she yanked out the dagger, and brought it down on his neck.

* * *

Dilandau slammed his fist against the Alseides. Five minutes ago Rei's signal went off again, and now she was late. Not just late, fifteen minutes late. _Damn fucking woman, she better not have died on me_, he snarled as he looked down at his men. Some of them were still in their guymelefs on guard, or standing next to them waiting for orders. Dilandau growled lowly as he jumped down on to the burn ground.  
  
"Shesta!" The blond snapped to attention as Dilandau yelled.  
  
"Yes, sir?" Dilandau started down along to the cliffs. If Rei thought she was going to get away with this she was wrong.  
  
"You and Guimel are with me, the rest of you stay here! Let's find the bitch already!"

* * *

The first thing that they noticed when they reached the valley was that the camp was in flames. Then the bodies started to come up as they walked father in, swords in hand ready for anything. At first the bodies were one whole piece, with a single blow that killed them. After the first line of burning tents, the style changed. Limbs were missing; laying several yards apart, but they were in larger groups..  
  
"What the hell?" Dilandau slipped his sword back into it's sheath, the whole camp was dead. How the hell could that one girl do all this by herself? The breeze picked up, blowing the live ashes around spreading the fire. If they didn't move quickly enough, they would end up being burned alive down here. He walked forward again, Shesta and Guimel not to far behind still with their swords out. They found her on the out skirts of the ruined camp, watching the fires dancing a crossed the night sky. Her back was turned to them, as the winds blow back the loss armored jacket that hung on her shoulders; the once white braid hung back, now covered in blood.  
  
"Rei?" He called from a few feet away, but she didn't turn. He was about to say it again, louder when her head slowly turned to the right. Her entire side was caked over in blood, but there were definite signs of wounds that could be seen. Rei frowned when her mind registered who they where, and started to walk pasted them ignoring the blood that covered her.  
  
"Where's the prince?" One of the few questions Dilandau would regret ever asking her. Rei stopped a few inches from him, a confused expiration crossed her face for a second before she walked passed him dropping something into his hands. He looked down at them to find the blond headed prince's head resting in his hands, the empty green eyes staring up at him in horror. Instantly he dropped it to the ground in shock, he had seen battle fields of needless massacres many times before, but this was far beyond any of them. He turned to say something to her, but she was already half way down the hill heading back he way they had just came

* * *

.  
  
They were on the cliffs over looking the burning valleys. One stood on the edge, with his cloak blowing in the wind, the other knelt down next to him holding a pare of binnacles.  
  
"It's her alright." The one knelt down said, as he stood up handing the binnacles over to the one standing next to him. "It's her style. We should report this back." The one with the binnacles looked back at him his black hair covered his eyes. He was a year younger then his partner.  
  
"Shouldn't we retrieve Tettro?" The elder one laughed as he walked back over to the two towering guymelefs, the stealth cloaks blowing wildly in the high winds.  
  
"He's long dead. Why should we play as dogs? The boy got himself killed. If his father wants him, he can come back and pick up the pieces. We were only sent to conformer that she is in use. That's all." The younger looked back at the fires throwing the binnacles over the edge, and followed.  
  
"Who'd think that she was still alive after all this years? I always thought she would have found a way to escape like she did with us."  
  
"Memories, kid. She can't remember, but don't worry. We'll pay the beast back, we always pay our dues."

* * *

The flight back in the Vione was in complete silence, Shesta nor Guimel said anything. None of the other Dragonslayers had either, because the look a crossed Dilandau's face when they got back. Rei didn't answer Dilandau's first calls on her com, so he had given up on it. That and he was rethink that he may not what to hear the answer. It was a little past midnight when they got back into the hanger. The slayers lined up at on the hanger floor below the Alseides waiting for him to get out of his cockpit. Rei slowly slide of the arm onto the platform. Dilandau looked at her then down at his men before dismissing them, and waited for them to clean out before starting down the steps to the hanger floor with Rei following behind. If wasn't until he was several steps away from the stairs that he heard her fall. Dilandau turned quickly around to see her laying on the floor, half of her body still on the stairs.  
  
His mind panicked, it always did when something he couldn't understand happened. Her laying there with the jacket a few steps away let him see the blood that covered her body. Unlike the ones on her face; they weren't caked in. Meaning it could be her own blood. Even if he despised the girl, she was still his Dragonslayer. Always in the back of his mind he feared losing any of them, because if he did he would be alone. The one thing he feared the most, being alone. The seconded he touched her neck, it was freezing cold, but she still had a pulse. The next thing he did was scan the front of her for any wounds. The only ones were small cuts here and there but nothing live threatening. The next thing was to look at her back. Before he could turn her over, she grabbed his hand.  
  
"I'm fine." She hissed.  
  
"Fine? You just collapsed." She pushed him off her and sat up, rubbing her chest.  
  
"I had the wind knocked out of me. You were flying against the wind, and didn't bother to cover me from the force."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" He pulled her up on to her feet, but she wasn't stable enough to stand on her own, and she fell against him.  
  
"Why bother? We were almost back by the time it started to bother me." She pushed off him and tested herself a few steps before letting go of him. When she swayed again Dilandau held her waist, missing the flinch she had to the touch "I can make it back to the room just fine, Lord Dilandau, "she snarled, and shoved his hands of and walked away. Leaving him standing there, dazed, not only was that the first semi-civilized conversation between them, she had also called him 'Lord' without being sarcastic.

* * *

She walked into the slayers' room, stumbling. Rei could hear the boys talking behind the open door to the left that let to the shower. She needed one too, but not badly enough to take it now. She'd wait until they were done, but until then she would rest. What she had said to Dilandau was wrong; the force of the wind didn't faze her. No she collapsed from what ever Folken had given her; it seems it had a nasty after effect. She stood over her bed looking down at the newly cleaned white sheets when it hit her, hard. The cold, painful stab in her heart caused her to drop down to her knees, with her hands holding her up. Breathing in gasps of air as the pain came again and again, each time harder and closer together until she was lying on the floor on her side. The last time the pain came, it stayed. She could feel her heart stop, along with her breath for the pain was too much.  
  
Rei's body went num, as her vision blurred from the pain. It was just before she fell into darkness, did she hear someone enter the room.

* * *

Mwahahaha She gives a new meaning to the kiss of death What's happened to Rei? And who are the two mysteries men that were watching the battle? To find out, stay tune until next time (ok, I watched to much gundam seed since I got back.. shot me) 


	7. Alright, Spill

_To Tame a Beast_  
  
A, what do know, I finally get it done Two of my favorite stories ended this week.. Which kinda sucks cuz now I have nothing to READ.again. though that may be a good thing looks over at all the paper work on desk hehe  
  
But, o well... For those of you haven't read it yet, go read Always With You, by darkgoddess. You're gonna love it, trust me, and Dilly- kuns is very well portrayed in it two... and maybe soon, she'll start the sequel And then for those of you who are Final Fantasy fans, or more pacifically FFX fans, go read Hey, Green Eyes by flame mage, its not exactly about the main characters we all love, but about and Al Bhed that you have a chance to get onto you blitz team, Linna.. aa not going to explain anymore go read!  
  
And if I'm lucky, and flame mage doesn't kill me when she reads this you'll get the next chapter. in.ooo three days or so? Due to the fact I start marching tomorrow.. again

* * *

Chpt. 6 _Alright, Spill  
_  
He had watched them in the hanger, and saw the look on her face when she grabbed for the railing before toppling over. Now he was barely in time to see her fall down onto the marble floor of the slayers room, lungs screeching for air. By that time, Folken was cursing the madoushi that had been in charge of this project in every language he knew. How the hell was he suppose do anything to help her, if he had less then half of her project file? It was like asking you to put together a thousand pieced puzzle, but only have three hundred pieces. Then again that was a bad example. Rei was cold to the touch of his flesh hand. Her breathing had stopped, and her empty sapphire eyes where just that, empty. He didn't have a lot a time before the rest of her organs began to fail. But given the fact that she should have been down in the hanger when she first collapsed, Folken took it as a good sign that Rei wouldn't have any real damage done to her system. But she was going to be quiet anger to know what he had given her. The small needle on his metallic arm slide out of its compartment, he brushed back the soaked white hair, and injected the counter drug at the base of her neck.  
  
At first there was no reaching, the color on her face was starting to drain away, and her lips were turning a shade of blue. He was about to try it again when she started to cough, hands tightened in to small fists. One of the better signs of the day, but with the strain a crossed her face, it may not be a very good thing. No doubtfully whatever the drug had done to her before she had collapsed, it was still doing to her now. Rei's eyes fought wildly to focus on to anything, or maybe him, Folken wasn't quiet sure with the way her head keep thrashing. But the only bad sign he could see though, was that after awhile her eyes started to become blood shot. Folken stroked her forehead with his flesh hand, trying to calm her down before she hurt herself.  
  
"You fucking bastard. What the hell did you gi-" Rei started to say before the other drug started to work in her system. She fell unconscious; breathing was still rasp for a few more moments until it finally fell back into a normal pattern. Folken picked her up and laid her down on the bed, leaving the jacket carelessly tossed on the floor, he was about to turn to leave when he notice the large amount of blood on both his hands. She couldn't still be bleeding could she? It's almost been two hours.

* * *

"O, come on Shesta, Guimel, it couldn't have been that bad." Dallet said as he dried himself down with one of the white towels from his locker. Shesta was sitting down on the metal bench with one loosely tied around his waist, staring into his locker. Guimel was getting dress, much in the same silence as Shesta.  
  
"Shut up Dallet, didn't you see the look on Dilandau-sama's face when they got back? Look at the girl, she's covered in blood!" Viole yelled as he hit him on the back, making his way to his locker. "By the way, where is the chick?"  
  
"Probably waiting for us to finish." Guimel said suddenly as he shut his locker, and started to dry his hair.  
  
"Finish? The slut doesn't want to join us?" Gatty joked as he walked out of the shower room.  
  
"I wouldn't start saying that, Gatty unless you want to be castrated." Shesta said lowly as he stood up, and started to pull his clothes out of the narrow black locker. The others, except Guimel, started laughing in an uproar.  
  
"What's that suppose to mean Shesta?"  
  
"Just what I said Gatty..." That time he was serious, and the others could tell. "Just go ahead and ask the eighty odd soldiers she tore to pieces today." The whole place echoed with 'what?'.  
  
"Come on Shesta, you got to be pulling our legs." Viole poked him in the sides a bit. "Right? Right Guimel?"  
  
"Nope... And that's not the worse of it. The whole place had body pieces everywhere, and when we found her-" Guimel started but Shesta finished.  
  
"And when Dilandau ask where Prince Tettro was, she dropped the guy's head into Dilandau's hands." That brought the whole group to silence, until one of them started laughing.  
  
"Right, ad next your going to tell us that the head started talking!" Dallet hit Guimel on the back still laughing. Miguel, who had no idea what was going on, walked in. Still dripping wet, as Guimel glared at Dallet.  
  
"It's no a joke, we're serious."  
  
"Serious about what?" Miguel popped into the conversion, a little on the late side.  
  
"O, nothing man, Shesta and Guimel are just telling us a bogies story about how our little princess killed eighty soldiers by herself, and plopped the prince's head into Dilandau-sama's hands." Viole just shrugged at their red headed companion.  
  
"I wouldn't doubt that she did..." Was his response as he opened his locker.  
  
"What's that suppose to mean?"  
  
"Just that, sheesh what's with you guys today."  
  
"Meaning?" Dallet said again.  
  
"Meaning, air head, that I wouldn't doubt princess in there did do all that."  
  
"How would you know?" one of the others asked.  
  
"I've seen her before that's why." That got all five of the boys' attention, which was a mistake on Miguel's part. They started to pound him down with questions along with pinning him up against his locker. So many questions were flying in the air that no one knew who was talking until Shesta yelled for silences.  
  
"Alright, spill." Rolling his eyes he pushed the others out of the way so he could dress as he talked.  
  
"I saw her at Ruby's once."  
  
"Ruby's, as in Ruby's the strip club?"  
  
"Yes that one."  
  
"See, I was right, she is a slut!"  
  
"Shut up, Gatty!!!" The other four yelled, Viole smacked him on the back on his head.  
  
"What?" He asked in defensive, but the others just ignored him.  
  
"Anyways, she's kinda like a mercenary. She does solo jobs; like assassinations, doing gorilla attacks on countries to weaken their defenses, or just taking care of rebels, but she's still a Zaibach soldier." He jumped onto the bench and started to walk down it to the door. "And I have to agree with Gatty, but I don't think she's a slut. She just may have training in seduction. Though don't go calling her that to her face, Gatty, she may just castrate you!"

* * *

"Listen, Folken, I'm simplistic with your situation, but there is nothing I can do!" The short red head on the screen yelled. "NO way in hell I'm brown noising into their business. That's the fastest why around here to get killed and you know it."  
  
"Aurore that's no what I'm asking-"  
  
"No, Folken, that's exactly what you're asking, because to get all that info I have to do just that. You know they aren't just going to hand it over it if I go around asking for the papers. They all like to keep their little secrets to themselves, and not get their asses in trouble for doing their extra little tests that they didn't when no one was looking. You know just as well as me how it works here. That's one of the reasons you got out of the business, and I changed from bio research to technology." She started to massage her temples as she continued. "Listen, I feel sorry for these kids along with the next guy. You and I both know what some of the things they went through. But, Folken, 009 isn't worth all this effort. The girl had herself on this death wish ever since her first mission, and hell, even Kane knew it. Maybe he hide the files just incase something like this happened."  
  
"Aurore that's like saying I don't take credit for the stealth cloaks." She started laughing.  
  
"You don't Folken, the only ones that know you did are all the madoushis here in this god-forsaken-hell-hole of a tower. Then again, you have a point. Alright I'll see what I can come up with. O! I am supposed to tell you something. The madoushis said that if you can't get her under control. Then they are terminating her, but, unfortunately, not before breeding her. I'm guess that they don't like the idea of all their proto types being failures. Though, that may mean they are thinking about starting all over again with all other them, and that isn't good." He sighed.  
  
"How much time do I have?"  
  
"Until she looses it again, sweet'ms." The screen blacked out leaving Folken standing in the darkness on the windowless room.  
  
"Yeah, or until they're at each others throats."

* * *

Mwahaha.. well that's another down I have to march tomorrow!! How unfair. and next weeks school start again, I was deprived of another summer, I demand a recount!!(aa, I love making fun of Florida) 


	8. 009 at Your Sevres

_To Tame a Beast_  
  
Ok, I lied I got this finished faster then I thought, shoot me but o while I got it done right.. it's a little short.. give or take but it will do! HAHA something about Rei's past its reviled.. kinda  
  
- dream/flash back

* * *

Chpt. 7 _009 at Your Serves  
_  
She wake up with her head pounding, and her body soaked in blood. She stared at the metal made ceiling for a while before she felt someone shaking her arm. Turning her head slightly to her right, Rei looked up at the red headed slayer, Miguel, whose hair was still on the damp side. Rei sat up on the bed looking down at her gloved hands.  
  
"Showers are all yours." He smile, heartily, before walking back to join the others that were engrossed in a game of manly poker before heading to bed. She stood, and swayed a bit before walking off into the shower room. The place was in a mess, towels thrown around, some clothes scattered here and there, real pig pen. She stumbled pasted the mess, and to the showers, were she came more glad that she had waited before. It was a big room, floor and walls tiled in white, with several odd shower heads.  
  
"Got to love the military." She mumbled to herself as she stripped down out of her blood soaked clothes. With one look at her beloved shirt, Rei let out a little cry of distress_. What the hell am I going to wear now! I won't get the rest of my stuff... for like ever! _She tossed it with the rest of her stuff. She was going to have to wear the damn uniform until she can clean it up. Turning on the farthest shower, she stood in the hot spray for a long time before undoing her braid. Blood color water pooled at her feet, as she undid the spiked ball's chain, and let it fall to the ground beside her. She stood in the water for a long time, letting it beat off the dried blood, and then looked around for some kind of soap. Finding that there were bottles here and there that the boys had so kindly left behind. "Such pigs..."  
  
After what seemed to be hours, she finally worked out the blood in her hair, the smoke smell that covered her body, and shut off the shower. Only to remember that she didn't have a towel with her or a change of clothes. Mental cursing at herself, she walked quickly back to the locker room, to her locker. Funny to call it her own, when she didn't know the combo to open the damn thing. After three tries Rei gave it up, and slammed her fist against it. What do ya know, physical abuse and machinery does go together. She yanked out a white fluffy towel, and dried herself down. Then turned around to look at the messy place. She needed cloths, but all hers was soaked in blood, meaning she would have to borrow from the boys with out them knowing. Not that hard right? Fifteen year olds spoiled by their commanding officer should have a few spares, not that they knew they were on the spoiled side. With a mental picture of who's who's locker, she slammed her fisted against Shesta's. He was the only one closes to her height, and build, with two other uniforms to spare. The pants were three sizes too big, and the shirt as two sizes too small (damn female attributes) but it would have to do for now. When she got back to the main room, the Dragonslayers had already gone to bed, and the lights out. Leaving her only the moons' light to help her find her way back to her bed.  
  
Not that the thing was much to look at, the sheets were covered in the blood that had been her, and jacket discarded on the floor. Rei just signed, tore back both covers making the bed bare, and plopped down on it. What would it matter? She was use to sleeping on a cold floor anyways.

* * *

He sat in the darkness of the room, listening to the fluttering noise of the curtains in the night wind. He closed his eyes, only to see the faces of those he had killed. Their screams echoing in his mind, there would be no sleep for him this night. He feared the dreams that would come, but even as he fought the losing battle of tiredness. The screams gave way to older memories.

_(Dream)_

_   
  
"Celena be quiet, you're gonna get us caught." The blondish silver haired girl clamped down hard on his arm, crying softly as he tried to pick the next lock. They had planned to try; no, not try, the planned to escape these hell hole tonight, but she was to scared now to be much of any help. The lock finally clicked, and he slowly pushed it open before walking quietly though, one arm wrapped around his twin.  
  
"But I'm scare..."  
  
"It's ok, I'm here, and we're getting ou-" He didn't get to finish as a hand covered his mouth, pulling him and Celena back into the darkness of the shadows. He struggled a bit but stopped when he hear the echoing of foot steps. Seconds later, two guards pasted by.  
  
"How'd the hell did they get out? I mean, the two of them are always under watch!"  
  
"It seems, our little girl has been planning this for months. We need to check on the others, to make sure she didn't try an all outer. Then we have to find her."  
  
"What makes them think she didn't escape too?"  
  
"Simple," the guards turned the corner, "the bitch always comes back." There was silence for a long time, none of them moved. After awhile the hand covering his mouth fall.  
  
"You two should get back to your cells before they notice you're gone." He turned to see a short white haired girl standing behind them. Blood tainted her face and arms. "Go quickly." Celena, who was now more scared then ever, started pulling on his arm.  
  
"We should do what she says, Dilly. We'll get in big trouble if they find us out here." At first he didn't move, the look in the other girl's eyes where hunting. But with his sister pulling, he started to walk back the way they had come. Though not before stopping at the door, and looking back at the other girl.  
  
"Who are you?" She smiled at them.  
  
"009, at your serves."_

(end)  
  
Dilandau woke up in a cold sweat, the fire in the hearth lightly burning. He turned his head to look out onto the moons. For two nights now he had had dreams like that, why did Rei remind him of her?

* * *

A, evil I am as evil as one can. Will Dilly-kuns figure it out, before its to late?? (aa got to love teasers) 


	9. Shiawase wa Tsumi no Nioi

_To Tame a Beast  
_  
Yes, I know, I know, your all going, 'Why the hell is the title in jap?!!' and yes I went over this one before, there is a secret behind Rei.well there is a lot of secrets behind Rei, and no before you all jump the gun, like I said before Rei is from Gaea, but someone who had a great influence on her live isn't, who you're all gonna have to wait maybe.. Depending on how nice I get  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne (wish I did though, and if I did there would be a sequel, with a happier ending.. and Dilly-kuns would be back, and a BOY!), nor do I own the song Shiawase wa Tsumi no Nioi; I am just kidnapping it for a while.. cuz I needed it  
  
_'word'_ - poem/song

* * *

Chpt. 8 _Shiawase wa Tsumi no Nioi_  
  
The sunlight that seeped through the dark blue curtains, waking her from the restless sleep, head pounding slowly. Groaning she rolled over onto her back to stare up at the metal ceiling. Her body was soar and stiff, without looking she knew there were burses along her arms and torso. Turning to the right slightly, she could see that the boys had already been up for a while and were long gone. Rei sat up slowly on the hard bed, to look down at the discarded jacket on the floor. Her long white hair fell in front of face. She cursed, how on Gaea could she have forgotten to braid her hair?! She didn't have the time to fix it now, she was already late. She was supposed to be up before dawn to talk to Folken. The damn moron, what the hell did he give her yesterday? Her internals felt more beat up then the rest of her. Lending over, she opened the chest at the end of the bed and grabbed a few things out of it. Then swooped up the jacket and started for the door putting it on. Gods, she was hungry.

* * *

The room was quite when she slipped in. It was deserted except for the wooden table in the center, and the endless shelves of tethered books. The balcony by the far end, to the left of where she stood, was open with the curtains drawn back to let the midmorning sun to shine into the deserted chamber. Hanging the glossless black jacket over one of the wood chairs, her sapphire eyes trailed slowly over her surroundings. It looked oddly familiar to her, but these books that surrounded her held knowledge of a world that she knew so little of. Unlike those she grew up studying, these didn't hold names and faces of people who lived now, but held a history she was deprived of knowing.  
  
Not that she cared anymore, what was the use of that knowledge now? It was irrelevant. No use to her now to do the work she was 'designed' for. 'Designed', what a sad word, she was designed' to protect, 'designed' to obtain knowledge that could be used. She was 'designed' to kill, how inhuman it made her sound at times. When she thought about it. Which was a rarity, if she tried to concentrate enough to try and remember something past her first mission when she was nine years old her head would being to hurt. Their fall safe they used, taking with them nine years of memories that she couldn't have. With an annoyed growl she turned to walk out onto the balcony, and massaged her temples, trying to smooth away the pain.  
  
_What an annoyance_, she sighed inwardly, as she looked over the edge at the pasting mountain sides. She dropped her hands and laid them on the railing, with her head resting on top. Quietly Rei watched as everything pasted by slowly, until the clicking of be dog tags began to annoy her. She stood up, and looked down at the small pieces of metal around her neck.  
  
"REI," She said aloud, to none but be herself, below it follow other writing. "AB NEGATIVE..." Turning them over slowly, she looked down at the print that could barely be seen. "PROJECT 009." It was all she was worth, three digits the rest was nothing but a lie. A lie, how sad.  
  
_'What is the dream?  
  
We have the dream now  
  
What is the dream?  
  
We make the dream come true_.'  
  
The words left her lips, as she let the tags fall back around her neck. She didn't even release she was saying them, as she listened to the winds. They were cold and empty, but as she repeated then the second time, the wind seemed to begin to sing the melody.  
  
_'Matteireba, yume wa kanau hazu to,  
  
Tada shinjiteta osanai hi,  
  
Sora wo nagareru hikari ni negai wo kake,  
  
Hohoemi nagara ima wo tsumuide-ita,  
  
Matte-ite mo, yume wa kanawanai to,  
  
Sou shitta no wa itsu no goro."  
_  
The wind picked up lightly as the Vione passed over the next valley, her tangled white hair danced loosely in the pony tail. The pain from her forehead had dead away and was replaced with the agony of her soar muscles.  
  
_'Yasashii hito wa kanashimi bakari seoi,  
  
Omoide to yuu yami ni umorete yuku,  
  
Koboreru tsumi no nioi,  
  
Doushite nanimo kizutsukezu ni,  
  
Ai wo mamorenai no,  
  
afureru uso no kakera,  
  
Kono te ni daita shiawase ni wa,  
  
Dareka no namida shimite'ru.'  
_  
She bit her lip, oddly normally she could remember more of it. But it seemed it, like everything else that wasn't important, was fading away. Frowning, she turned her head to the side a bit, annoyance filtered in her eyes.  
  
"How long have you been standing there?"  
  
"Long enough," Folken replied solemnly, as she turned around a bit to face him. He stood in the shadowed part of the room away from the reach for the morning sun light. "Do you know what you were saying?"  
  
"Yes.." Rei looked back out on to the mountains, focusing her mind away from the pains that were being to make themselves noticeable. White bangs dance over her eyes, she thought quickly on how to change the subject. "Why didn't anyone wake me up this morning?"  
  
"Dilandau took one look at you this morning, and ordered the slayers to let you sleep. Not that it would have mattered if you did get up, they're all in the hanger taking care of their melefs." She heard him shift and being to move around behind her, she could hear his hand move a crossed one of the shelves of books. "Do... do you remember anything about last night?"  
  
Rei turned completely around this time. He hesitated to ask her, why? Walking to the door way of the balcony, and lending on the door, she studied the man. His body was hidden from view by the long dark cloak, his cool violet eyes (a/n my friend and I were in an agreement half the night trying to figure out his eyes color.. we ended up on agreeing to maroon red violet [how she knows this things, I have no clue] but if any one can figure it out the right color, tell me plez!!) looked over the pages in the small book. Small dark lines were under them, she turned her head to the side a bit to put this new element to calculation. He hadn't slept well, which meant something was bothering him.  
  
"I.. remember taking off from the hanger, and waking up to Migual shaking me. Beyond that, it's a complete blank." Cocking her to the side, she watched him closely. She hated people like him, most of the time. So secretive, so damn quiet, and the whole 'looking endlessly at a book' thing was annoying, really annoying. There was a frown on his face as he put the book back on the shelf, and walked over to the table. He put something down at one end before setting down at the other. Rei took it as a sign to sit, not that she would mind it, her legs were starting to hurt. They felt over used. She walked up to the wooden table once again, and grabbed the item on the table as she sat down. It was a small brush, black, with a silver 'C' on the back.  
  
Settling herself down on the cold chair, she undid the pony tail, and slowly started to brush out the tangles that were scattered along her long strains. There was no sound in the room, except for the steady sound of the brush as it went through her hair. She was crouched on the chair, like a cat ready to spring, watching Folken. His violet eyes were half closed as he was thinking hard about something. Her sapphire eyes drifted away, and looked back over to the books. Even if she had been deprived of some things here, the medical books caught her eye, especially a tattered gold one that was broken and falling apart.  
  
"You won't happen to know were the rest of it is, would you?" His calm voice startled her, Rei almost dropped the brush. He was studying her from a crossed the way. Shifting uncomfortable, she looked back at the havened book.  
  
"No.. The last time I sawl it Axiom put it in a safe. When are the rest of my things getting here? I don't like stealing uniforms that don't fit." She tried to change the subject, which seemed to work. Either that or he caught on she didn't want to tell him anything.  
  
"Tonight hopefully, given that we've changed course." She cocked her head to the side, as a tan folder slid a crossed the table, stopping just before it fell off. "'They' have something that you have to take care of."

* * *

grumbles something about evilness sorry for taking so long.. School started at the beginning of the month for me. and marching has been hectic. Two drills down.. two more to go I think our instructor is sooooooo trying to kill me 12 steps to go over two yard lines(for those of you who don't know, yard lines are eight equal steps apart, and I'm 5 foot, so that makes it kinda hard for the short ppl to do that)  
  
And then we come to the loooong chapter. It took me a while because 1) hard time getting around to writing, and 2) I suddenly went into a drawling frenzy, and couldn't think strait enough to write.. go figure The next chapter (hopefully) will explain a little more, and we will have a appearance of someone very important to Dilly-sama. I give you three guess who it is, and the first two don't count! silences ok, ok I'll give you a hint. Her name starts with an 'C'! 


	10. Orcuswind

_To Tame a Beast_  
  
Yea!! Finish... in record timing... ok just to let you all in on this. I'm going to play chapter tag... in other words I write one chapter for one story. then write the next chapter for other story before being the next chapter for the first story (confused yet?) So its gonna take me a while. SO don't shot the messenger, or you want get to see what happens

* * *

_If you are near to the dark  
  
I well tell you about the sun  
  
You are here, now asleep  
  
From my visions of the world  
  
You will cry, all alone  
  
Thou it mean a thing to me  
_  
Verse from Aura - .hack  
  
Chpt. 9_ Orcuswind_  
  
Anger boiled itself in his mind, his eyes flared with a hateful flame. First he recalls him in a battle, and now he changes the course of the Vione without speaking to him first? He was already have disciplinary problems with his new slayer, who, with his nagging fear, could probable carry out her threat. The last thing he need was Folken cause more probable then he was already worth. Were the hell are my ears when I need her?  
  
Simple question to answer, in Zaibach were she was 'escorting' a transport. No doubt that was just an excuse for the madoushi to get their grubby hands on her without him knowing. And on top of that, she'd never tell him if they did. Snarling, he turned his anger back to what he needed it on, as he stepped through the door to the small library. As he suspected, Folken was sitting at the end of the table reading a tattered golden book, which was missing some parts.  
  
"You're a little late." Was the response Dilandau received before he was able to yell, Folken didn't even bother to look up to see who it was.  
  
"Why has the Vione course been changed? We were head to Anomic to be resupplied."  
  
"And we still are, this is just a shorter rout." He turned a page in the book, before giving Dilandau short glance. "Besides it brings us closer to were Rei has a mission to complete."  
  
"What mission? Nothing was cleared by me."  
  
"An assignment by the four generals doesn't have to be cleared by you Dilandau." He's anger grow, as he slammed his fist down on the table causing Folken to look up at him.  
  
"She is my soldier, anything that has to do with any of them has to be cleared by ME!"  
  
"Correction, she is your soldier, yes, but she is also a mercenary for Zaibach, and answers to the four generals directly if she has too." Dilandau blinked in surprise. Not by the tone of Folken's voice, which was full of annoyance, but by what he said. She was a mercenary that would explain most of her attitude. "And don't ask me what it is they want her to do. If you want that, ask her yourself."  
  
He watched Dilandau turn and leave without another word. But as the door closed behind him, he could hear the boy slam his fist against the metal wall. With a long sigh, Folken leaned back on his chair.  
  
"At this rate, I'm going to start feeling twice my age."

* * *

Everything she needed was laid out in front of her, as she went thought her mental checks, and preparations. She was back in her own clothing, the short shorts clung to her body, and her own black gloves covered the 'blood stained' hands. The only thing that was missing was her shirt that lay out on the chest, drying. She was alone in the room, so being without a shirt on was fine, and besides with her hair down there wasn't much to see. When the Dragonslayers walked, their boots echoed on the floor. So she would have a warning when they were coming back, giving her enough time to put something on. Though, as she continued her checks, the one thing she didn't count on was how quiet Dilandau could be if he wanted to.  
  
He stood by the door watching her, as she would move a hand or her head, looking over the weapons in front of her, thinking. Every now and then, her hair would fall over her shoulders revealing her bare back, and it prefect tan tone. Though there was one thing that caught his eye, on each side of her back on the same spots were two identical scares that ran down from her shoulder blade for a good six inches. She didn't seem to notice him, as she worked out what ever was going through her mind. Not that it mattered, his anger still flared. She was a tease, from the very first time he set eyes on her, she was just that a tease. An annoyances, not only was she disrespectful, she barely would follow his orders. On the training grounds, she would disarm all his slayers, no matter what. Even now, he wonder what would happen if he faced her. But now, with her unconcerned, unaware of his presence some many thoughts ran through his mind. There were so many ways he could use this to his advantage, to humiliate her, or to plainly break her will.  
  
But, there was something holding him back, as he watched her, placing her daggers back into her boots. He wasn't quiet sure what though, as he stayed leaning against the door, watching her restrap her sword. She braid her hair back, working in the spiked ball. The last thing was her semi-see through black strap shirt that now, since he hadn't noticed them before, barely covered the scares. There was a long, drawn out sigh, as she turned around, hands rubbing her temples as if to chase away a headache. But when her sapphire eyes raised just enough to see him she froze.  
  
"How long have you been standing there?" A prefect time to play with her, but with dazed glare from her empty eyes he had to concentrate on not shifting from uneasiness.  
  
"Not long." She started past him again, pace a little quicker until he grabbed her arm. "I haven't dismissed you yet." He said with a low hiss.  
  
"I don't have time to play games, Dilandau-_sama_," She growled back as she tried to walk past him again, but he refused to release his grip.  
  
"What were the orders you were given?"  
  
"That's my business, not yours." _Failure_. The word was left hanging in the air, not that he would ever hear it. Rei started out again, tugging her arm free. She heard the smack, and felt her body hit the floor before she ever released that he had hit her. She was sprawled out on the marble, as the stinging feeling touched her cheek. A small taste of blood touched her tongue. _How dare he hit me?_  
  
"You're my soldier, everything the deals with you is my business." Dilandau snarled as he stood over the girl. He waited for her to cry out in frustration or even tears. He even waited to see if she would carry out her threat from a few nights ago. But she just stared down at the floor in surprise, as her gloved hand moved to touch her cheek. She sat up slowly, eyes averted away from him looking down at the cold floor. He had expected something, anything from this unchain will, but not silence.  
  
"I have been asked to terminate the village, Lucian, and stop the rebel that is siding with the opposing country." She stated slowly not looking at him, taking the words from the air as if she could read them there. "I am to make it look like it was done by Celtic, so that the neighboring will side with Emperor Dunkirk and stay out of the war. My task is to eliminate all villagers, woman and children too. Along with taking personal care with the rebel leader, Kisue, and his family to send a message to all other villages thinking of rebelling. Quick, and quietly. This is Zaibach's dirty work, nothing you need to worry about." She didn't make a move to stand up. Sitting of the floor with one hand against her check, she continued to look down on the floor waiting for him to leave. But he didn't, no matter how hard she wished he would. Dilandau stood towering above her, a chaotic smile playing at his lips.  
  
"Since when did you think I had a problem getting my hands dirty?"

* * *

She adjusted herself in the cock pit the cold water surrounded her in the small metal prison. She was tired, exhausted, and plain out soar. The radar above her head showed the position of the ship. No less then half a mile a head of her. _Why couldn't they just wait in Anomic for the Vione? This just wastes my time and the energy in my guymelef._ She held a long drawn out sigh. She wanted to go to bed. She wanted to be anywhere but here. Back aboard the floating fortress, back in a safe haven. She wanted her familiar surroundings again, and most of all, she wanted to see 'him' again.  
  
"Plymouth to Orcuswind (a/n: this is said Orc-us-wind... See not that hard). We well be arriving with in the hour."  
  
"Alright." She sighed, as she shut the com off. About time she had some peace and quiet to herself. The sun was beginning to set, the sky was a burning red color as the giant ball of light fell beyond the towering mountains. "Home..."

* * *

The world darkened as the sun died away, giving way to the sweet release of night. Bringing the world to a calming end to a hard day of life, but in this sweet black night, the shadows hid the monsters of death. Dilandau loosely held the reins of the black war horse, as he listened to the forest around him. He could see the lights of the village through the leaves, and the wheat fields. He stand there in a cold silence, his slayers around him uneasied. They were use to the massacres of the battle fields, not the ones of villages like this. Some of these here were probably still loyal to the Empire, but, not matter what; they were on orders to kill everyone. Movement came from his right, as a silver armed soldier appear form the darkness of the wood.  
  
"My lord, the village has been surrounded, and all patrols have been taken care of." Dilandau turned his head slightly to look at the man.  
  
"Good. Charge on my signal."  
  
"Yes my Lord." The soldier disappeared the way he had come, and Dilandau returned his glaze to the village. Now he had to wait, wait until Rei had taken care of her part, taking out all the watch posts in the village before he could charge. From there, the white hair woman would see to the rebel leader like she had been order, leaving this work to Dilandau. The watch posted in font of them had sudden movement in the shadows as something was pushed off. Dilandau tightened his hold on the horse's reins, and drew his sword The Dragonslayers followed this action just as silently, and quickly as he had. A small light of fire flickered in the watch tower, that was it, the signal to begin. He reared the horse up before charging forward. His voice rang through the silent wood.  
  
"CHARGE!!"

* * *

The hanger was busy as ever as she stepped out of the Arcuswind's cockpit. Her hair hung damply behind her as she looked over the railing to the hanger floor below her. A smile come a crossed her face as she stared down the stairs in a half run.  
  
"FOLKEN!!!!" He was barely out of the corridor, and on the hanger floor, when the silver haired girl come running up, throwing her arms around his neck.  
  
"Celena, not so hard. You still have your bracers on."  
  
"O yea! Sorry Folkie-san, forgot about them." She jumped back onto the floor, and started to unstrap the metal bracers that covered her lower arms. She wasn't that much different from her 'twin', all except for the eye colors. Where Dilandau's were a blood red, her had remanded their innocent blue shade. But innocent was something she was far from. For the months of tests her mind was put through, to the separation of her mind and Dilandau's personality, and the years of testing that followed, she was not the innocent girl her eyes portrayed. The metal bracers fell to the floor as she untied them, the noise barely echoing in the loud hanger. She waved her hands in front of his face. "Gaea to Folken, Gaea to Folken, come back."  
  
"Ummm?"  
  
"Are you going to answer my question or not? Where's Dilly- kuns?" He sighed as he looked pasted her to the transport half docked. The crews running back and forth preparing the ramp. "How come he's not here?"  
  
"He said something about getting his hands dirty."  
  
"O in oth-" She started to say, but was cut off as the cranes' engine blasted through out the Vione's hanger. Celena turned around slowly to look at the transport, Plymouth, as its cargo was unloaded. There amidst the dark blue interior of the transport raise the black demon of nightmares. Its cloak dance lightly on an invisible wind in the enclosed hanger. He watched the young girl's eyes widen as she recognized the design. "An Ispanol (a/n is that the right spelling. or is it Ispanos? ) guymelef.."

* * *

Mwhahaha.. And the plot line will thicken..in the next chapter hehe 


	11. Gray Eyes

_To Tame a Beast_  
  
A, three week argument on the computer.. and here I bring you the next chapter! SO enjoy.  
  
**AG1:** I'm now 16 years old yea!!!!(as in the last day of Sept.) and I get my car on Friday!!!!! Now if I can only get my permit...  
  
**Shesta:** Baka..  
  
**AG1:** '' Shut up

* * *

Chpt. 10 _Gray Eyes  
_  
Darkness fell around the village as day gave away to the tired night. A little red head girl squirmed in her bed as she watched her mother by the fireplace in their one room home. The evening had gone and been spent working on the chores of the little house, and now that it had came her time to sleep, but she refused. There was a person missing from the home, and she wanted to know were he was. It seemed so hard to ask the question while her mother was working, she had been taught not to disturb others as they worked and wanted not to disobey.  
  
"Mommy?" She asked quietly, hoping not to anger her,  
  
"Yes Kenya?" She said slowly as she turned, and grabbed the towel off the table before walking over to her young daughter, who moved farther down into the blankets on the small bed. She sat down on the bed, and brought them up around her daughter. "What is it that has you so riled up that you can't sleep?"  
  
"Where's Papa?" The mother sighed, as she ruffled the little girl's hair before blowing out the candle on the night stand, saying "He's at the old factory, working on some things. Now go to Sleep." She kissed her forehead and stood to walk back to her work when a small cry made her turn around. There in her daughters neck, imbedded was a small knife. She cried in horror, but a noise caused her to look over at the door, and not run to her dying child.  
  
There, in the open door way with its eyes flaring and white bangs dancing a crossed its face, stood the she-demon with blood dripping down from its forearm. Her mouth dropped to scream, but it dead before it even come to her through as the dagger sunk itself into her forehead, her body crumpled to the floor. The demon's eyes darted around the room quickly before knocking over the candles closes to it onto the floor. It watched the fires crackle and dance on the wooden floor, before turning back to its works. The child and woman were dead. But its main target was not here, the woman had said the 'old factory', the beast snarled. The flames caught its eyes again, the want to bring the whole village to this end burned in its mind. The want for blood, but this was erased by the sounds of the hooves pounding against the earth not to far away. The she-demon snarled again as it stepped through the fires, to the two bodies. First pulling knife out of the woman's skull, then the she-demon looked down at the small child. So frail, young' it smiled as it pulled the knife out of her throat, and turned too looked out side the door, to see the first horse charge by. It smiled as it licked the knife clean. The hot blood dripping down on its throat, the she-demon savored taste and texture. It was time to hunt.

* * *

They shifted through the ruins of the old factory site. It was said to have been a weapons development a long time again, and now, he, Kisue, was hoping that it was still in working condition to produces weapons he would need to help Celtic win this war. He whipped the sweat from his brow and moved the next piece of scrape metal out of the way. The village had slowly been clearing and cleaning it up, so that it could be put to work again, but slowly so that Zaibach would hopefully over look it. He was the last one here, working the longest to help move it all, while those who followed him rested from the day's hard work. The thought of going home to a hot meal, and his wife wasn't a very bad thought now. He laid the scrape metal in the pile with the others and whipped the sweat off again. His dark brown eyes opened to see a sing white feather flutter down slowly in front of him.  
  
"What the?" He reangled his body just at the right moment so that a knife whizzed past him, and deflecting off the metals in front of him. An animal screech burned his ears as he turned around to see his attacker above him, crouched down, blood dripped down the metals it was on. As it lifted its head, two red eyes glared at him, and another knife flew throw the air, he barely had time to move so that it would miss. The she- demon screeched again just before it jumped down to be leveled with him, landing much like a cat, and hinged back on her legs, drawling out a long sword. A smile played at the she-demon's face, as he drew his own sword, moving back a little unsure of what he was up against. (a/n: oo we have a smart one ladies and gents!) The redness of her eyes gave way to a small amount of sapphire as they watched him.  
  
"Target Kisue required, objection: elimination." It grinned as the sapphire of its eyes fell back to the blood red, just before it charged him. Her sword slammed against his, causing sparks to fly. Her face was close enough for him to fell the uneven breaths of air.  
  
"I know what you are... You're the project 009." He whispered in half belief, as she jumped back, growling. "You were created to..." His eyes widened at the realization of what was happening. He turned his head in the direction if the village to see the flames' light against the night sky. "No.."  
  
He charged her in a blind rage, each time their weapons met, sparks fly around them. Each time that met he would nick her bit, forcing her back. There was no growl of frustration, just a small smile as he pushed her farther and farther into a corner. She danced with him, as he pushed her in to the corner surrounded by scraps of the fallen building; the game had come to its end. The she-demon reset her stand as she prepared to charge, but the sudden pounding against ground made her drop her sword a bit just as a fuzz of white fur tackled the man before her. There was a cry from the man as he fell from the weight, as the creature buried it's fangs into his throat, and a snapping noise as it broke his neck. The she-demon reset her blade as the white creature raised its head, blood dripping from its mouth, and slowly started towards her. It drew its ears back, and its tail dropped between its hind legs as its cool blue eyes watched her teases at its approach when she didn't charge.  
  
It whined when it stopped just short out of the she-demons reach, she hesitated as it whined before letting her sword drop; the heat of battle was gone, for there was no need for it now. The she-demon titled her head as the creature laid down on its stomach, trying not to look threatening. A small, metallic chain around its neck caught the she-demons eyes, as she walked up to the creature. Its gray eyes watched her as the she-demon knelt down beside it, putting the chain off.

* * *

His fist slammed down against the large table in the center of the little tent, the pieces of the map jumping from there places. His old eyes narrowed at the figure in front of him, sitting own in the chair, face and body hided from view by the lack cloak. The two male figures stood beside it, hands lying on the halts of their swords.  
  
"You promised me results! You said you could help me win this war! Yet you have done nothing but stand back and watch! And now my son is dead!" The old king yelled, his voice echoing in the small chambers of the tent, where only a few candles gave light to the room. Just enough light to see the map, and the out lined figures of the three before him. The figure sitting down waved its hand, slowly.  
  
"We promised you results, aAnd we have given you more then you need. Data on the troops, positions of the guard posts, and managed to give you the help of two other countries. Your son would have still be alive if he had followed orders, that is not our fault." The female voice said smoothly. "Besides, everything is going as planned. Within a month the operation will be ready, and Zaibach will meet its down fall. You should worry more about getting prepared for that then you idiotic son. If it's an heir you worried about, you have a brilliant nephew that has done more then that son of your."  
  
"This has nothing to do with that! I have lost half my army, and for what? To wait around some more?! When is this plan of yours coming into real play, Vickie?" the man snarled.  
  
"When its time.. All the pieces haven't been put into play just yet. You want a true victory King Braska to have the other countries stand with you. But that cannot be handed to you, it must be planned out." There was strain on her voice as she spoke, but was hidden well enough from his ears. This conversation was going on to long. "And besides only fools run it fists first."  
  
He slammed his fist down on the table again before charging out of the tent. There was along, drawn out silences as they watched the night sky appear from the tent flaps.  
  
"So.." The youngest male figure started as he walked around the table picking up and replacing the pieces that the king had knocked off the table. "Why again are we putting up with him?" The female sighed as she pushed the hood down off her head. The pale, thin blue hair fell around her shoulders. Her face was even paler then the surface of the white moon. Her drained blue eyes fell on the small, melting candle on the table.  
  
"Because, without him, we have no resources to do what we need to. Without him, we have no way in keeping Zaibach from noticing us." Her voice wavered as she stopped. It was weak and almost to low for a normal set of ears to hear. The elder man laid his hand against the woman's shoulder to keep her from falling out of the chair, her breath was in short gasps.  
  
"Maybe you should sleep now, Vickie, you're going to-" Her weakly lifted hand cut him off.  
  
"I'm fine. I've only over done it a bit." She waved him off as he tightened his grip on her. "The arguments with him are starting to take their tolls on me. It may have been better if one of you had taken up this position then me.. I'm starting to get weaker faster."  
  
"Neither of us are as good with words as you are." The elder one said, as the younger one finished putting the figures back on the map where they belonged all but a small red one.. She sighed a bit, in acknowledgement before continuing.  
  
"Hopefully this week has not been in vein. Tell, what have you found?"  
  
"Her." The youngest said, with the last of the small pieces were placed on the map, near a small city, Anomic.

* * *

The smell of smoke, and sweat burned his sensations as he let his horse be lead off to the stables as they come back into the Vione's hanger. How he missed battles like that, were he crushed the lives of those round him with his on bare hands. Being able to look over his hand work just before the flames devoured it all. He had his back turn to where the guymelefs were lined up, as he watched each of his slayers come back on. Mentally counting off each one as they jumped down off their horses sweaty, and exhausted. When no more came after Shesta, Dilandau cursed when he realized he was short one, the girl.  
  
"Who was the last one to see Rei?" He yelled to his men, as they tried to stay in a straight line, but it didn't seem to want to stay that way. Shesta was the first to raise his hand a bit.  
  
"She started to go a head of us. She must have gotten back before any of us." Dilandau opened his mouth to say something only to be cut off by his sister's voice.  
  
"Dilly-kuns!!!!!"

* * *

He walked in the small study. Sleep was not going to come to him easy once again. With the arrival of the Ispanol, the strain on him would increase. With every use of the guymelef, it would drive her further and further down the path in insanity. He knew that. The guymelef had transformed from its original form to the black creature it was now, and slowly it would eat away at Rei's soul, killing her. Not that anyone really cared, it was the only guymelef that was compatible to her style of combated. Folken sighed slightly as he picked up the journal. It had more formulas, numbers, and scientific terms in it that he had to read, then what he ever saw his few years as a madoushi. That, and more then half of it was written in a language foreign to him, and a translation to it he couldn't find anywhere.  
  
He laid the cloak down on the table, sort of lost in through when a scratching noise caught his attention. His maroon eyes turn to look at the closed black curtains that covered the doors. The scratching sound came again with more persists this time, letting him know he wasn't just imagining the sound or that it was just the wind. He walked over and pulled back on of the curtains slightly, only to look down into the gray eyes of a white wolf.  
  
"How on Gaea did you get up he-" he stopped short when he noticed the tan arm half wrapped around its neck, blood dripping off it on to the creatures white fur. He pushed the other curtain out of the way, to see the limp white braid, tainted with blood lying on the vast floor, a long blood trail that lead off of the edge. The wolf scratched the door with an impatient whine, Folken opened the door slowly and back away. The creature hesitated for a moment before walking cautiously past him, bragging the white haired girl in behind him. Halfway into the room, her arm fell from around its neck with a 'thug' onto the metal floor. She groaned as she tried to push herself up on to her feet, but her body was distorted and would not move as one. Her legs lay limp on the floor, as her upper torso was half way off it only to fall back down. The wolf slumped into the shadows of the dark room gray eyes watching, as Rei half rolled to her side, breathing heavily.  
  
Her sapphire eyes blinded a few times in an attempt to focus, but only to fail miserably and close again. Her breathing steadied a bit, as he walked over to her a knelt down. He touched the side of her neck to feel the rapid, irregular beat pulsing through her veins. Her eyes flickered open again, watching him, as he looked her over taking into note the long cuts reopened on her back. Her sapphire eyes closed as he shook his head allowing her mind to slip into the restless darkness she welcomed, hearing his voice far off into the distances as it whispered. "Stupid girl."  
  
_(a/n: I had the need to end the chapter here, just for the cliff hanger.. But since I haven't uploaded in a while.. I'll be nice and give you the extra paragraph or so)  
_  
He stood as he looked her over for anymore damage. Nothing more then minor cuts, multiple bruises. If he moved her down to the medical wing, it would only cause uproar, and Dilandau would only become more watchful. Making the testing part of her stay her much harder then it already was. On top of that, Dilandau or even Celena could become aware that they were not the only projects to survive. Ruining most of the madoushi plan to keeping the "infantile failure" from ruining any success in fixing the only error in the original project 009. This had nothing to do with the situation right now. With the fact she was once again unconscious, and that there was a white wolf lurking in the shadows watching him.  
  
Folken sighed, he took his cloak from the table, and laid it over the white hair girl. In all, it would be better to leave her here for the rest of the night. Once she was more conscious and aware of her surroundings, he would be able to get answers. Also it would lessen the chance of her going berserk as will. The door slide open as he walked though its thresh hold out into the dark corridors of the Vione. Only to turn and lock the door as it slid close.

* * *

**AG1:** That's it I'm ending it there!! No more writing for this little angel! falls back in chair three weeks.. Is to long.. Thank goodness marching band kind of ends this week.. As long as our football time doesn't make districts.. Which they probable won't give that they SUCK! mumbles something about loosing to Bayside. stupid people. Anyways. I may have to bring up the rating for this story next chapter. sighs  
  
**Dilandau:** what do you mean? This is supposed to be your PG-13 story you baka!  
  
**AG1:** glares well maybe if you and Rei could get along I wouldn't have to bring the rating up!!!  
  
**Dilandau:** O.  
  
**Rei:** still pasted out on the library floor  
  
**AG1**: coughs A-um, anyways I kind of dislike the way the chapter come out.. but on well.. I did get to the point Hopefully.. Now I can get As WE Dance's chapter done.. If I could just figure out how to us some of the other Escaflowne characters a little better... And I have to work out a few problems in this plot. (Folken/Celena anyone??) and character development. defiantly character development..  
  
**Elder& younger guy:** When the hell are we getting names?!!!  
  
**AG1:**nervous laugh when I come up with them.. heh heh 


	12. Mayonaka

_To Tame a Beast_  
  
It's done, be happy. It's LONG, so review, and make me happy. Also, the long awaited explanation to Rei is here.... SO be happy, and read..

* * *

Chpt. 11_ Mayonaka_  
  
He let the hot water pour down over him, as he stood in the shower _(a/n: ooo, Dilandau in shower scene drools)._ He planted his hands against the stone wall in front of him, so that the steaming water would pour down against his soar muscles that were strained from the horse ride. How long had it been since he enjoyed the slaughter with his bare two hands? Not sitting in the machinery of a melef, watching the chaos through protection of the metal? To long, Dilandau growled softly as he stood back up, turning his face up so that the hot water would beat down upon it. Too long had he let the damn high generals' order him around. Too long, had he sat inside a machine to fight. It was a weakness. Melef's gave a man the secure feeling that he was invincible, that nothing could destroy him, nothing could stop him. But once he stood alone on the battle field, with only a sword in his hand. He would be killed because of the secure feeling of invincibility. Many of his men were like that, that's way they would never become Dragonslayers. Why they would always be the 'worthless rats', but his slayers weren't without that fault now too, it seemed. From the example he saw today, yes they didn't have the 'secure' feeling of invincibility. In fact, they were afraid. Only a few times had any of them fought in a battle. No, a massacre like that and each time he saw one of them, fear danced in their eyes. A fear Dilandau would have to teach them to use, so that they would no longer fear the power they felt when killing innocents. He growled again, as he grabbed the small white bottle off the shelf, pouring some of it's contexts into his hand, and worked it into his hair. All of them were afraid, all of his Dragonslayers except for the whoring bitch.  
  
They had to take horses to reach the point were they would began the plan for the attack. They only problem being, that they had more people the horses. The bitch didn't need a horse. Her work would have to be done on foot, so she had to ride with him. She rode in front of him, his war charge never like more then one person on his back. So to make sure she wasn't thrown off, he used one hand to control stallion, and the other was lightly wrapped around her waist. She had snarled at him, every time he would move it. In fact every time he tried to readjust himself so that it wasn't so uncomfortable having two people on the horse, she would snarl. When they had reached the level part of the plains, she had stopped snarling at ever little movement he made. Though what she started to do next, he would probable would have preferred her snarling. She had leaned back against him head resting against his shoulder, with her sapphire eyes closed. Dilandau couldn't decide wither she had fallen asleep, or she was thinking about something until she started to massage his hand. He had tensioned for the few first seconds until he figured out it was her. Her gloved hands were tracing the blood vessels, bone, nerves, everything on his own gloved hand sending the sensation pulsing through his arm. He had glanced at her several times, before he moved his hand a little to the side. Hers followed, he had smiled as he went back to watching the path, he had thought the bitch was starting to warm up to him. But hell, he was wrong. Dilandau growled as he let the hot water work out the soap from his hair.  
  
After a long time, well ten minutes of that had felt like a decade to him, the sensations shooting through his arm had gotten to his head. He started to take advantage of her 'half conscious' state of hers, and started to slide his hand down along her exposed stomach. The semi-see through black shirt had moved up on her during the ride, and now he was more then glade for it. As his gloved hand moved further down but the seconded it pasted over her belly button, she snarled, and gripped down on his hand hard enough for him to force him to wince from the pain. She continued to snarl as she sat up. The stupid whoring bitch had been playing with him the whole damn time. Dilandau snarled as he punched the knob turning off the shower, the hot stopped, but the steam still rose around him. He wrapped the white towel around his waist as he stepped out of the shower. The mirror was fogged up from the steam that floated around the room. The marble floor was cold against his dare feet, as he walked out of the bathroom into the bedroom.  
  
"Damn whoring bitch." Dilandau snarled one last time, as he closed the door behind him, and froze. Celena was sitting on his bed, the red sheets wrapped around her shoulders. Her bare legs hanging over the edge, kicking back and forth, blondish silver hair fell down to her shoulders. The dark blue nightgown she wore was barely noticeable from the way she held the sheets close around her. The light blue eyes turned and looked at him, as her hand stretched out a bit to point at the balcony doors.  
  
"It's raining." her voice whimpered quietly as thunder rolled across the black sky. "I couldn't find Folken, t-the door to the study was locked." Celena jumped lightening ripped through the night. Dilandau sighed as he walked forward, and sat down next to her. She was shivering under the sheets as she wrapped her arms around herself tighter. Resting his hand on her shoulder, he pulled her against him. Repeating in his mind the same words that he had hear so many times.  
  
_/She'll never be able to completely mature. /  
  
/ The separation damaged more of her brain the expected. How far the damage  
goes, we're unable to say. /  
  
/Separation./  
  
/ Unable to determine./  
  
/Max probability. /  
  
/Fate Alteration successful./  
  
/Do to further study, project 005 has been declared./  
  
/Emotionally./  
  
/Declared damaged./  
  
/Fate Alteration step one is a success, project 005 is a success./  
  
/Fate Alteration step two has been declared./  
  
/Project 006 has been./  
  
/Failure./  
_  
Dilandau bit back a snarl as he rubbed her arm a bit. Remembering when she was like this, it was like speaking to a small child.  
  
"It's alright, Celena, you can stay here for the night if you're scared." Her head rested on his bare shoulder as he stroked her hair. "Though, Cel, I thought you got over this fear of thunder a long time ago." She sat up and looked at him, whatever it was in her eyes, it made him shiver slightly.  
  
"I'm not afraid of that anymore. It's just..."  
  
"Just what Serena? Did 'they' do something to you?" Dilandau snarled, she jumped at the tone, and looked quickly to the window.  
  
"No, 'they' didn't do anything. It's just. That Guymelef in the hanger 3.."  
  
"What Guymelef?!"

* * *

Folken sighed lowly under his breath as he walked down the dark corridor. The night was ruff on him, not so much that he wasn't able to sleep because of the unforgiving storm, but from some of the files he was able to translate throughout the night. He managed some how to recognize some of the text to be one of the forms of writing found on the old Atlantis texts that had been found. The only thing that was puzzling him now was why would Kane write the whole project in Atlantian? And how did he know the language so well to do it that way, when it had taken the madoushis almost three years to translate a portion of the same amounts of old text they had found? He sighed inwardly again as he stopped in front of the study door, punched in the code of the lock, and stepped in. He was half expecting Rei to still be unconscious on the floor, with his cloak still draped over her, something else he didn't like doing. Without the cloak, his metallic arm was exposed to the view of others if he wasn't careful were he walked. A large reminder of one of his biggest failures in his life, but she wasn't there. The black cloak was neatly folded, and placed on the table. The balcony doors were open, letting in the nipping cold air of the early morning. The white wolf that he had almost completely forgotten about was standing out there, looking down the thousands upon thousands of feet drop from the balcony to the tree tops.  
  
Rei was slumped on one of the chairs around the table. At first it looked like she was still sleeping, for her eyes were hidden under her unraveled white hair, but when he took a closer look he could see the empty sapphire watching him. The spiked ball hit the floor, almost making him jump slightly from the sudden movement. Just what he needed, to be spooked by an unstable sixteen year old berserker. Who looked ready to pounce, when she was still slumped in the chair.  
  
"Morning.." Her rasped voice echoed slightly in the room as she sat up a bit. "How long have I been out?"  
  
"Most of the night." The door slide close behind him as he walked in slowly, trying to watch both the wolf and her as he walked closer to her. But he stopped when he realized she was studying his metallic arm. Folken was four or more feet away from the table were the cloak set, five or more from her. He would have picked it up and put it back on, but from here he could see the tint of red on the corners of her eyes as she studied his arm. The sound of the wolf's claws on the metal floor ate at his nerves as it walked a crossed to her, nuzzling her hand. The sapphire eyes looked away from him to it, as he watched a small smile cross her lips as she scratched the wolf behind the ears before looking back up at him. The red tint no longer present. Not wanting to take the chance of sending her off the edge he set the gold tattered book on the table next to her, and walked over to the other table, not bothering to pick up the cloak as he past it.  
  
"It's in Alantian." She laughed lowly as she turned a bit so that she was facing him, and pulled out the loose pick of paper, reading it over.  
  
"So, you were able to figure it out, my congrats." She tossed the paper back down, as if it wasn't important. The gray eyed wolf growled slightly as it lay down on the floor next to her. Rei leaned back in the seat, studying him, not given away thing away. He could see the faint redness returning to her eyes. One of the multiple theories reached on project 009 was that, at some point, she had some conscious control when she went berserk, not that he was willing to test this one. The growl became a little louder.  
  
"The wolf." Yes, rule one in this game, advert her attention away from whatever seemed to get her to start to change. Rei blinked as she scratched the side of its head, as it continued to growl. She sent a small chain sailing a crossed the table to him. It slide off and fell into his hand, as he lifted it up to examine it.  
  
"The building ruins to the east of the city. It was a bio-lab."  
  
"I thought I told you to-"  
  
"Mission over throws your orders. He was there, there is where I went." She growled the wolf stood up instantly, snarling ready to attack, but Rei just pushed its muzzle down. "It must have survived when they terminated testing there. It's got some guts, jumping in front of me, tearing that fools throat out." Folken studied her, as she scratched the white wolf's head again. Had he not known better, Rei looked more relaxed now then she had for the past week or so. But, then again, his mind was already calculating how to use this. He needed information that he was probable only going to be able to get from her, but given the fact Rei wasn't one of the easiest people to get anything from.  
  
"I'll make you a deal." He said after a few seconds, Rei's brawl arched a bit as she looked up at him. "I'm sure you want to keep him, but seeming Dilandau hasn't let any of his men keep pets. There isn't a likely chance he'll let you keep it."  
  
"So," she continued after he stopped, "You'll 'convince' him to let me keep the wolf, if I give some information you want." Folken nodded. "....What do you want to know?"

* * *

"Kane." Rei started as she leaned against the door, looking out onto the mountains that the Vione slowly pasted, "wasn't from Zaibach.."  
  
"Not many of the madoushi are." Folken said as he leaned back on his chair. Rei frowned as she continued.  
  
"No, they're not, you for example are from the small country Fanelia. But Kane on the other hand, wasn't even from Gaea." There was along silence as she let it soak in before moving on. "Kane Nabusa, born August 17, 1940 in Hong Kong, China on the Mystic Moon. He grew up during the ending years of "World War II', a massive war the spread throughout the moon. When he was six, his parents moved them to Japan in hopes of escaping the massive poverty that was spreading throughout the country. At twenty- six he had received a degree in bio-research and worked for ten years in the government 'human research program.' Four days before his son second birthday, his wife and son died in an accident. For the following two years, Kane's life fell a part slowly, until 19 years ago, when he appeared in the Black Tower records."  
  
"For a year and a half, he learned the customs of many of the civilizations, our language, the 'new' technology, anything and everything until the madoushis' called him back. He was given the project 009, and a time line to work out the problems. He tests his theories, and serums on animals. Something that was a little 'strange' to the others that worked under him. Half a year later, the Empire wanted Kane to start to proceed with the project, using a human test subject. He argued, saying that none of his animal test subjects had lived past the first stages that he didn't think that the project would work on a human subject. Unfortunately, Kane had a rude wake up call when he had found out, that it wasn't uncommon to have human test subjects, or to have them die in the fist stages. Before he could object anymore, the 'hunters' come up with a healthy, six month old baby girl."  
  
"You.." She looked back at him, rubbing her hands together, and then looking down at the tattered golden book.  
  
"Even through he didn't want to, he started to test on me carefully exposing my body to the serums, and tests. Three mouths in, the second test subject for the 001 project died on the table. The madoushi in charge did nothing, but watch and record the violent death, as each of the blood vessels in the four year old boy collapse over a three hour period. He stopped testing on me for two years. Not wanting to take the chance of killing me, he swore that he would not let me die on one of those tables. So, for those years, he continued testing on animal subject, but he would always run into a dead end. When I turned three, I had my first 'episode'. I walked into his lab by accident, Axiom had fallen asleep on the job of watching me. I tore it to shreds."  
  
"That was when Kane released he had a new element, he was told to create a berserker that could be controlled. The problem was making his subject a berserker, but I was already one. All he had done with the tests he made on me when I was younger was advance the process. So the testing began once again." She flecked her fist annoyed. "Though, he was afraid that they would try to make multiple berserkers, so he wrote the whole file in his native language and taught me to read it."  
  
"So you can read all of that?" Folken asked as she walked back into the room, and knelt down next to the white wolf, and stroked its fur.  
  
"Yes, how else would I know all this? Remember, nine years of my life has been erased from my mind. They just didn't erase my abilities to read, write, speak, anything, they just took the 'unimportant' tuff."  
  
"If that's so, then you know what happened to the rest of the document." She smiled an emotionless smile.  
  
"Yes... And no, I do remember reading it, but I don't remember what happened to it.." She stood up again, stretched a bit, and looked over her body studying the blood stains. "Axiom could have destroyed them... or maybe some one else took them, I don't care. I kept my end of the deal, Folken, keep yours." She turned to leave.  
  
"Rei wait."  
  
"Umm?" She turned and looked at him again.  
  
"That song that you sang a few days ago what did it mean?" She turned and looked back out into the morning sky.  
  
_'What is the dream? We have the dream now  
What is the dream? We make the dream come true  
When I was young, I simply believed  
That if I waited, my dream would come true.  
Making a wish to the light flowing from the sky,  
I smiled while weaving the present  
Then I came to realize,  
That even if I wait, my dream will not come true.  
Kind people are burdened with nothing but sadness,  
Being buried in the darkness called memories,  
  
The overflowing smell of sin  
Why can't I protect love  
Without hurting anyone's feelings?  
Shards of overflowing lies  
Someone's tears are seeping into  
The happiness I held in my hands.'  
_  
She didn't turn to face him again as she walked out the door, as she left what she had told him to soak in, for the song to linger in its sadness. He was almost completely lost in though when he heard her yell from the corridor.  
  
"Mayonaka, come!" The gray-eyed wolf bounced out after her voice.

* * *

She whistled to herself as she walked down the corridor. The rain was gone, and so was that feeling from the strange Guymelef. Her brother was still asleep when she left, and now she was bored. The Dragonslayers should be up, and it was time she meant the new addition to the family. As she came around the corner, she froze her tracks as she heard the boys' voices.  
  
"Man, she didn't come back in last night, her bed still made."  
  
"She had to have come back in last night Gatty. If she didn't Dilandau-sama is going to kill us!"  
  
"Maybe she didn't come back to the room, that's all. The girl could be wondering around Vione, or something. Or maybe she fell asleep somewhere else, but she got to be back on the fortress. They said she came in."  
  
"Yea, but Rei." Gatty started to say, but was cut off when Celena stepped into the room.  
  
"Who the hell is Rei?!" all six boys jumped at her tone of voice, Celena barely yelled at anyone.  
  
" T-the new Dragonslayer, Serena." gulped Dallet.  
  
"The new slayer is a girl, and is room with a bunch of teenaged boys?! Does anyone besides me see something wrong with that?!!"

* * *

She stood on the plate form, looking at the black monster in front of her. How long had it been since she had last seen this thing? Why was this cold feeling running through her veins when she first walked into the dock? She growled lowly as she pushed the thought aside as she walked up the steps. The dock was quiet behind her, no one else was here. It was too early for them to be out here. Not that any would come into the docking bay willingly with this here. The white wolf had frozen stiff at the door when she came here, and refused to move a step in. Smart animal, she smiled playfully, as she let her hand move over the armor, once she reached the platform. The tingling feeling of needles shot up though her hand, as she touched the black dragon bone that made up the armor shell of the Ispanol Guymelef. She could fell the unnatural current in the air around it as she stood back, staring at the black energiest (a/n: is that it?) in the right side breast plate. How long had it been since she had hunted a prey that was challenging?  
  
Far too long, she frowned, as she stepped forward raising her hand to the energiest chamber. Preparing herself for the sudden shock that would run though her. The second her finger tips brushed it, ice ran through her vein's replacing the blood. It burned as she pushed her whole hand down, forcing the chamber next to it to open. It refused at first, testing how long the intruder could stand there before jerking back his hand. But she didn't she left the skin to burn, let the ice replace the blood. The sensation stopped. The second the chamber opened, the cold wave of water poured out of it, and down onto the docking bay floor. She smiled at its submission, before she let her hand drop and walked over to open chamber. It emptied out the rest of the water; a medium size chest was left chained up inside it. She snapped the chains off, as she brought it out, and knelt down by it picking the lock. Her glove hand hesitated over it; her eyes darted around the room before opening it. Her hands pushed past a few things, before pulling it back out. The small back half of the tattered golden book fell out of her hand as she dropped it back in and slammed the chest down.

* * *

"So, your little pet has finally cracked a bit, eh?" The red head on the screen laughed as she blue eyes watched him pace back and forth in the little room. "From the Mystic Moon, huh? It's not impossible, but it is sort of odd. Why on Gaea would we be having some guy from our curse moon create one of Zaibach's most deadly weapons?"  
  
"That's just it, Aurore, why not? We already have proof that they are far more advanced then us, and she said he had a degree in the field. He was able to make her, even through the madoushi have been trying for three generations..." The woman sighed as she leaned back in her chair.  
  
"Generations of work, only to produce the first success, and they can't even reproduce the efforts to make another because no one can read that damn thing, And half of its missing.." She brushed her hair back. "I remember what it was like to work on project 001. All that pain that little girl went through, just to create a way for pilot and melef to emerge as one. So that the movements of both would be faster, instead of making the 'effort' to create a lighter melef. I remember being glad when she died on that table, when her heart seized, instead of that slow death of having each vein collapse. Sometimes I wished that little monster had found a way to free her, you know, like she did 003 and 004." Folken stopped and looked at her.  
  
"Freed them? You mean 009 freed two fellow projects? If she could do that, then why didn't she escape herself?"  
  
"I don't know." Aurore shrugged, "I remember hearing once, that she couldn't -or wouldn't until all the projects were free. That they - we could hurt anyone else."  
  
"I don't remember any of that. When I saw her, she was blank; she always seemed not to be there at all. An empty little doll that was pulled by her strings."  
  
"I guess it was before you became a madoushi.. No, its was a few years afterward went it happened, when 005 and 006-"  
  
"Why do we have to use numbers?" Folken growled. "They have names now."  
  
"Fine." The woman sighed, "When Dilandau and Celena made their first big escape attempt. Rei was the one that was helping them. Though, something that not a whole lot of us know. That time, she was playing on escaping as well. Half way out of the tower, they ran into Kane. Rei, trusting that he would let her pass; she didn't take a stand to defeat herself. Kane shot her, with a hand sized cross bow. Three centimeters in any direction, he would have killed her. Dilandau and Celena where recaptured, thinking that their fellow friend was dead."  
  
"And that they were the only surviving projects, because Rei told them the others had died."  
  
"Two weeks later, you joined in the Fate Alteration projects. When you had the chance to work with Rei, she was heavy dosed in narcotics." Aurore rose up her hand that held several papers. "I went a little 'snooping' around, and picked up a few things. I also found out that Rei read the entire project files went she lost it last time, and that she had a memory relapse. That's what sent her over the edge too. So as long as you keep her from relapsing you should be fine for a while."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind." He sighed as he walked to the three small pillars in the room. "See what else you can fine for me. Right now, anything will be useful."  
  
"Wait, before you go ending this call. You said she's used 'them' twice now?" Folken nodded making Aurore frown. "Hint of warming. Get her a blood transfusion when you get a chance. It she uses 'them' again, she may die from blood lost. Though it's kind of nice hearing she's getting use to being around you. She wouldn't have told you that entire thing if she didn't like you."  
  
"Don't remind me. I would like to remain in one solid piece for a little while longer. You should get so rest. It's what, midnight over there?"  
  
"One o'clock is more like it. It's alright; my cheater for a husband isn't back yet from his 'night out with the guys'. You know, one of these days I should just poison him or something and get all the money."  
  
"That's kind of mean Aurore." She shrugged.  
  
"What? I did it to the first one too and no one said anything about it. They should know better then to cheat on an ex. madoushi..." She smiled. "And you get a girl friend or something. It's kind of pathetic, you're young, and you live in your work."  
  
"It's kind of pathetic that you marry someone, and three years down the road turn around and kill them." Aurore made a pouting face, before sticking her tongue out at him. "And that you still act like a kid. Good night Aurore, I'll call you up in a few days to see if you got anything else." He flicked the switch and the image flickered before going out. That last thing he saw was her shaking her head, Folken sighed as he turned to leave the room. "Women."

* * *

She shifted her grip on the chest as she walked down the corridor, keeping the handle from brushing the burnt hand. She frowned annoyed at the torn glove. The thought of a hot bath was very enticing at the moment. Mayonaka was jumping around her heels, wanting to be feed. She sighed. It was either the trip down to the dinning hall now, or making the little monster wait in room with six teenage boys. Not much of a choice, she sighed inwardly, as she came around the next corner that lead down to the boys' room, and came to an abrupt stop. Barely missing the blondish silver haired girl that was standing in her way.  
  
"Hi!" The girl smiled, not making any signs of moving out of the way. Fighting back a growl, Rei tried to move around her, but the girl jumps in her way again. "Your names Rei right?"  
  
"Yes.." Rei tried to get past her again only to have the girl jump in her path again, who seemed not to catch the snarl in the response.  
  
"I knew it!" The girl sort of shouted as she clapped her hands together in delight. "Finally another girl on this piece of flying rock. It was getting boring around here with just boys all around. They're no fun. O! I almost for got to introduce myself, I'm Celena!"  
  
"Charmed really.." She snarled it a little too hard that made the smile on the girl's face fall to a puzzled look. Giving just enough time to get past her, and continue down the hallway. Though, she didn't escape the chatter box, Celena quickly recovered and ran up next to her and pulled her arm. The burned hand brushed against the chest handle, Rei bit down on her lip. So the whimper didn't leave her throat.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"Back to the room I share, so that I can get a shower." The girl smiled perkily, and pulled her arm again.  
  
"You're not roomed with them anymore, YOU are with me now!" Before Rei could say anything, Celena was dragging her down the hall way. Opposite the way she was going. "We're going to have so much fun!"

* * *

He stood on the platform. Refusing to move away, when the cold feeling made a shiver move down his spine. He was standing alone in the hanger, in front of a monster that had frightened his sister. Now his mind of on the bridge of running itself. Though he would not let himself do that, he refused to become so weak, to run from something that wasn't even alive. Guymelefs weren't alive... right?  
  
He shrugged the idea off, as his red eyes turned back to look at the black creature in front of him. Taking a step forward, he stretched his hand out brushing it against the armor plating, and jerked it back instantly. The ice feeling in his veins slowly disappeared, as he held it. The skin under his glove tingled, as if it was touched by a hot iron. What the hell was this thing?

* * *

She sat the chest down next to her bed that had been moved from one room into another. This one a little more decorative then the other one but it had less room more fit for two people. The floor had the black marble lay out. The walls were smooth and even, along with the ceiling. At the far side of the room, was a set of long light blue curtains, to the right of the door was a small bed blankets made from the same colored material. Her bed was closer to the glass doors that lead out onto a small balcony, new white sheets covering it. The wolf, which had been more then happy with the new 'annoyance', trotted into the room to the bed, where it jumped up on to it, and lay down. Celena danced around the room a little, as Rei sat down on her bed, scratching Mayonaka behind the ears.  
  
"Wheee!!! I have a roommate now!" she stopped plopped on her back, and smiled at her. "And there is finally a dog on this floating piece of rock!"  
  
"He's not a dog. He's a wolf..." Celena didn't seem to hear her as she started to kick her legs up it the air laughing to herself.  
  
"This is going to be sooooo much fun! We have the entire day to get ready for this evening, and with you here it will be much funnier!" Rei's hand froze, Mayonaka's head lifted, ready for anything.  
  
"What is this afternoon?" Celena stopped kicking her feet in the air, and smiled at her.  
  
"We'll be landing in Anomic to get new supplies. Dilly-san is taking us out to celebrate our victory over the Celtic's defeat!!!"

* * *

All of the original Dragonslayers were in the hanger; dress down out of their uniforms. Their nonstop chatter was on the bridge of his mind as Dilandau leaned back against the railing of the stairs, watching the hall way on the upper floor. The Vione had landed in Anomic over three hours ago. With half of the needed supplies loaded on, they fortress would be leaving dock in four hours in which he planned to be spending off the damn Vione. Where the hell was his sister, and the damn whore?  
  
He turned his head to look down on Viole and Dallet as they starred to quarrel over something. The other four started to laugh from were they sat on the steps, waiting to leave. He sighed lowly to himself as he turned back to watch the hallway. With Guimel's unease report, Celena had found out that Rei, the new female addition, had been roomed with a bunch of teenaged she had them move her things into her own room. The thought of her picking up things from the unrespecting witch was the last thing he needed, but there would be no way of removing that anyways. Celena was bond to have found out about the other woman abort. Dilandau snapped back to reality as his sister came bouncing down the steps in a tight white long sleeved shirt, and black pants, her hair pulled back in a braid.  
  
"Its about time Cel!" He heard Miguel yelled. Celena just stuck out her tongue, then smiled at her brother when she stopped a few steps up from him.  
  
"Sorry for taking so long. Re-re had to keep restarting on my hair cause she said I would hold still long enough for her to braid it right, and I lost track of time.." Re-re? Dilandau blinked a little puzzled as Celena continued her bouncing jumps down the rest of the steps, where she jumped on Shesta cause the boy to almost fall from where he had been setting.  
  
"Re-re?"  
  
"Don't ask." Dilandau looked back up to the top of the sets, only to regret it as the sight waiting for him made his heart stop. Her white hair, undone, fell past her knees the black boots barely made on echo of a noise as she walked down the stairs. She wore the familiar black shorts that her cut low enough to allow her g-strings to ride over her hip bones. The red see-through fabric of her loose long sleeve shirt, danced over the black bra that lay beneath it. She stopped after a few steps, looking annoyed with the sudden silences. "What?"  
  
"Dilandau-san!!!!!" Celena's voice cut through the silence along with any answer he would have come up with. "Lets Gooooo!!! If we stand here any longer, we're never going to get of this floating piece of stupid rock!" Growling, Dilandau rolled his eyes and started down the stairs with Rei behind him.  
  
"The Vione.." He sighed, as his sister smiled at him, in her playful, annoying way. "Is NOT a 'floating piece of rock'."  
  
"Of course not Dilandau-sama.." She laughed, as he walked past her. Missing the secretive planning smile, as she looked from his back to Rei, and back again. "It's a 'floating piece of STUPID rock'!"

* * *

**AG1**: End, end I call for an end in this chapter!  
  
**Dilandau:** _frowning and points to rating_ didn't you say you were taking up the rating..?  
  
**AG1:** _nervous laugh_ Heh Heh. I was but, I didn't get there. this chapter got longer then I through it would. so that won't happen until next chapter.  
  
**Dilandau"** _Still frowning_ Yu have WAAAAAAY to much time on your hands.  
  
**AG1: .** Shut up..  
  
**Mayonaka:** _mad that he's getting left on the 'Floating piece of STUPID rock' by himself_.  
  
**Folken**: -.- I know how you feel... 


	13. Catch Me as

_

* * *

To Tame a Beast_  
  
This chapter has two parts.. So I've decided, being that I know a lot of you are going to want to be killing me the way I end this chapter, that I will break it up into chapters 12 and 13 (or 13 and 14 if you go by ).. The titles well also go together because of this.. Just to let you all know

* * *

_I linger in the doorway  
  
Of alarm clock screaming  
  
Monster calling my name  
  
Let me stay  
  
Where the wind will whisper to me  
  
Where the raindrops  
  
As they're falling tell a story  
_  
Evanescence Imaginary  
  
Chpt. 12 _Catch me as.....  
_  
She twirled the glass in her hand as she leaned back against the bar counter. She looked back at the some what over crowded bar. What away to spend three hours of free time, Rei sighed as she drained the red liquid from the glass and set it back on the dark oak counter for the bar tender to refill it. Most of the Dragonslayers were off to a side of the room (with their third round of beer on the way) half falling out of their chairs in laughter as they caught Celena up on what she had missed. Though from the looks of it, Celena wasn't going to remember much of what they were saying, since she and Miguel had a chugging contest. The 'tender placed the glass back next to her hand and when about his way, seeing to the other drunks that had piled up. She picked the glass up and looked to the darker corner of the place, not to far away from the Dragonslayers. Dilandau had his feet up on the small single wooden table with a pint of beer in his hand. Draining the glass again, Rei turned around to face the 'tender as she set the glass down again. Wine was loosing her interest and fast. It seemed to be ages since she last had a good taste of alcohol, let alone someone who could play the card-shot game. And given the change it didn't matter to her who she played with, as long as the night ended with her being half drunk.  
  
"Hey 'tender! Get me a bottle of your best, and two shot glasses!" A man, maybe in his thirties pull a bottle off the back of the bar, two shot glasses from the space below her, and set them down. Rei leaned over the bar a bit, caught his hand and battered her eyes. "And a deck of cards please?"

* * *

Resting his feet up on the table Dilandau leaned back in the chair, sitting it on its two back legs as he nursed his drink. He was in no rush to drink a whole lot in only a few hours like his men were. At less one of them could be some what sober when it was time to leave. There was an uproar some where in the bar, he didn't bother to look around to see what it was. Placing the mug on his lap, he tipped his head back to stare up at the wooden ceiling of the place. A bar in the middle of no where, at less there wasn't a chance of Folken finding him if anything was to happen in the next few hours. Right now the last thing Dilandau was interested in was charts, figures, and numbers. He definitely did not want to be looking at numbers. With a small shiver he looked back down the mug. Before he could pick it up, a set of slender arms in see through red fabric wrapped themselves around his shoulders; One hand with a bottle of vodka, the other with two shot glasses and a deck of poker cards.  
  
"I don't like you, and I'm pretty sure you don't like me." Rei rested her head against his; he could feel her breath of his neck as she spoke. Not a hint of liquor tainted it. "But it takes at less two to play a game of shot poker, and none of your slayers will last me a good game. So how about it?"  
  
"What does the winner get?" His red eyes met her empty sapphire ones that hide well under the long white bangs. With a titling motion of her head, they moved off.  
  
"Loser pays for the night's rounds, and the bottle of vodka." There was a chorus of voices from their left.  
  
"It's about time someone got a drinking game started! I didn't think we'd get any excitement happening there for a while." Miguel's voice yelled over the others. Rei stood up and walked to the other side of the table putting down the cards, bottle, and shot glasses. Meanwhile the Dragonslayers dragged their chairs to form a semi-circle around the table where Dilandau had been sitting. Shesta was the only one to come up to the table. He sat down taking the deck of cards into his hands and shuffled them. Rei sat across from Dilandau with a sort of confused look in her eyes as she watched the hands of the boy.  
  
"We all know the rules right?" Shesta said looking at the two as he started to deal the hands. "The losing hand has to take the shot, the game ends when a person passes out, vomits o-"  
  
"Or when we get kicked out!" Dallet yelled as he rocked back in his chair to rest his feet on one of the near by tables. "It's whoever has had the most."

"Yea, yea..." Shesta rolled his eyes. "You all know the rest."  
  
"And no cheating!!!!" Celena shouted as she waved at the waitress to bring on more drinks, the bar filled with the echoes of laughter.

* * *

"Go, go, go, go, go! " There was a chorus of cheers and shouts as Rei slammed down the shot glasses. She coughed a few times, and Shesta shuffled the cards again. She picked up the empty bottle and threw it across the way to the wall so that it would shatter into pieces, adding to the pile of other ones. A new way found at summoning the waitress to get them another bottle that required less voice, and let the loser of the hand a way to vent the anger. There was a loud commotion behind them, as the boys made beats on who would be the winner now, the game passed its seventh bottle of vodka, leaving the two tied in shots. Dilandau sat back in his chair waiting for Shesta to deal out the new hand, watching the sapphire eyes across the table. She was slumped down a bit in her chair with her head resting on her hand. Her eyes were fighting to close as blood vessels started to show. He smiled, the wench was reaching her limit. Her card hand was pressed against her chest, as if to count the slowed hard beats beneath the skin. Dilandau was aware of his light headedness, it have been a long time sense he had a chance to drink this much. Two bottles ago most of his slayers would be floored.  
  
"Come on Shesta hurry up!" Miguel said, his speech sort of slurred. Most of the chairs had been abandoned, the few people left in the bar moved closer to see who would win this card game of shots. Shesta began to deal the cards out one at a time, face down to the two of them when there was a loud crash behind them. There was the sound of glass shattering on the floor, bottles smashing underneath someone's foot, and on top of it the drunken female voice singing.  
  
"Louis, Louis, O Baby let my people go. Huh? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! OOO, Louis. Louis! OO, baby let my People go!" Celena giggled as she spun around on the wooden bar counter, the beer in her mug tossing about. "O, Louis said Louay!!" (a/n don't ask me I spent twenty minutes trying to come up with something for her to sing, and I got this from a friend, Louay is a southern thingie he told me.)  
  
"Umm... who was supposed to be watching her?" Dallet asked, as he put his jug down on the table. Celena was carrying on another tune, kicking more bottles over.  
  
"I think that was Shesta..."  
  
"Viole, how can I watch her when I'm dealing cards?" Shesta said putting the cards down.  
  
"Someone get her down from there," Dilandau growled. "Before she starts to do something else..."  
  
"Like stripping?" Miguel joked making Guimel smacked him on the head. "Hey, Dilandau-sama aren't we suppose to be reporting back to the Vione soon?" Groaning Dilandau looked over his shoulder to the old grandfather clock that sat in the far corner of the bar and cursed. "Take that as a yes. Hey, guys get you last drinks in, we got to go!"  
  
"But, we don't know who's won!!" Gatty yelled, as he and Viole tried to get Celena off the bar. Dilandau was already half standing when Rei reached across the table and tapped the few cards in front of him.  
  
"One card throw; highest wins, doubles ties." She leaned back again, pushing some of the long strands of hair off her shoulder, the red clear fabric of her shirt danced over the black bra beneath it. "Boys call your last bets!" All of them (except Gatty and Viole who were still trying to get Celena off the bar) hung in a circle around the table. Smirking, Dilandau picked up the top card of the deck, and tossed it down on to the table with triumph.  
  
"King of Diamonds..." There was a cheer from his men, as he leaned back on his heels. "Let's see you do better.........Bitch." A chorus of "o"s echoed around the room. Rei leaned a bit over the table to pick off the card from the deck and stood back up without laying it out for them to see. Turning the card into the palm of her hand so that no one could read it, she walked along the table and picked up the vodka bottle.  
  
"Well, what is it already!" One of them yelled, as she poured the liquid into the small shot glass, and picked it up.  
  
"Cheers Dilandau-sama..." She smiled as lifted her head up so it leveled his ear to whisper, "You lose." and walked away, leaving the Ace of Spades on top on his card, the shot glass in his hand. "Asshole." There was a chorus of voices that filled the bar, as he looked down at the shot glass in his hand; he closed his fingers around it tightly until it shattered  
  
"You'll pay for that one, Bitch."

* * *

The Vione was still lit up, and busting with life while they arrived back onto the hanger level. Anomic was quiet; sleeping under the early morning sky. The fortress loomed above preparing to make its departure to continue on its war path. Miguel and Shesta were helping Celena up the stairs that to the second level of the hanger with Rei on the upper floor waiting for them, then Dilandau and the others came up on the elevator platform. He had chosen to ignore the conversation of his half drunken men, he instead concentrated on finding ways to repay the wench for the humiliation she had dealt him today, plus the past few weeks she had been on the Vione. Disrespect, not following orders, sarcasm, and every other little thing she could use was nothing to showing him up like she did tonight. Never would he take the defeat at a game like that, not from one of his own soldiers, and defiantly not from that damn bitch. He was going to have to put her in her place, and he was going to have to do it soon.  
  
"Come on Celena, just five more steps to the top." Shesta said was he halfway dragged the drunken girl up another step. She giggled and started to say something only to stop, laughing at whatever she didn't say. "Note to self... Never let Celena have too much to drink anymore. This is starting to get tiring."  
  
"Look who's talking," Miguel laughed as they accomplished another step. "It could be worse, she could have tabled herself." The two continued laughing and continued up the steps, down the third hall with Rei following behind them. The others had gone down another hall that lead to their room, this one lead to the girls', and then farther down another stair case that lead up to Dilandau's chambers.  
  
"Could you two be any louder?" Rei growled as they turned the corner and down the lit hall.  
  
"Sorry Re-re" Miguel laughed over his shoulder at her. "Is all that vodka finally getting to you?" Her snarl was lost behind them as they turned another corner when a hand grabbed her upper arm. Rei snapped sharply around with her other hand to strake the unwanted attacker only to get it caught in his other hand. His blood red eyes burned in the sapphire pools of her own. She shifted trying to get her hand and arm free.  
  
"I want a rematch, bitch." Dilandau breathed, as he let her go abruptly.  
  
"Still haven't learned name calling doesn't get you anywhere yet, asshole?" She retorted, as she stood back a bit, enjoying the look that crossed over his face for the few meaningless seconds. His hand twitched at his side but did not move to strike her. Rei shifted her weight and smiled. "Well, I guess I could always go for some more, been a while sense anyone could hold more then a few bottles in a game... Got anything stronger then that watered wine we have at meals?"  
  
"Austria Red...."  
  
"Well then..." she waved her hand. "Lead the way..."

* * *

The small bar was quiet, almost completely empty since the night began to fall late into the new morning. Lost in the shadows of the poor light place, two figures sat around a small wooden table. The elder of the two leaned back in the small chair, with the beer glass in his hand. Dark pools of purple not focusing at anything particular. The silver strains of hair fell from under his cloak hood. The boy across from him sat leaning against the table, head in his hand black hair falling over his clear blue eyes.  
  
"She didn't even recognize us...." The younger one whispered as he traced the out side rim of his glass.  
  
"I told you before she wouldn't remember us." The older one replied as he sipped his drink, and set the empty container on the table. "Her personality it seems, has also changed."  
  
"Do you think it's still a good idea to carry this out, then? No memory of us, think of how she would react." His clear blue eyes looked at his partner's face, who leaned back now with his eyes closed deep in thought. "And, it will be harder too now, with both of them there...."  
  
"Don't worry about it. Leave that to me and Vickie..." the elder one smiled, as he picked up the empty glass. "Cheers, 003, for the victory of Zaibach against Prince Tettro, for it will be the last true victory the demon boy will have."

* * *

"Good night, Celena.." Shesta said as he and Miguel left the girl passed out on her bed with one boot on and blankets some what pulled around her. As the door closed, darkness engulfed the room once again. After a few minutes the silence was broken by Celena's snores, two gray eyes blinded from by the slightly opened curtains. The sound of claws tapping on the metal floor echoed quietly under the faint snores. The white wolf walked slowly across the floor. Stopping and sniffing the air, it whined as it stopped in front of the door. Its claws racked against the metal door, it jumped up onto it, and fell to the floor again. Celena groaned and turned in her sleep but did not wake. The wolf whined again, as it jumped up on the door.  
  
"No, Mayonaka..." Celena mumbled in her sleep as she tossed in the bed again. "No go out... Go to bed Mayo... "The snores continued after a few seconds, and the wolf whined softly to itself and it walked slowly across the room and jumped up onto Rei's bed. It's gray eyes blind while it looked to the door and whined softly.

* * *

He followed behind her, careful in watching her movements. Every now and then, she would sway or would stumble a few small steps. She was also holding the side of her head once in a while, as if she had a headache. He could barely hold by the grin, the alcohol was getting to her making his plan to finally bet the bitch into submission much easier. Rei stopped suddenly, almost making Dilandau run into her. Turning, she growled at him.  
  
"Open the door moron.. I don't know you code..."Dilandau stepped passed her, walked coolly up to the pad lock next to the door, and punched in the code. Standing aside he waved her in.  
  
"Bitches first." He smirked as she walked passed, glaring at him. Before he walked in after her, he quickly punched in another code, and the door locked silently behind him. She stood a few steps ahead of him, hand brushing her long white hair off her shoulder studying the room. In front of her was a small circular red oak table with two chairs on either side of it. To the far wall, a large oak dresser with craved patterns to match those on the table, to her left was a full length mirror, and to her right a large bed, frames made from the same red oak wood, cased in red sheets. Next to the bed was the two doors that lead out to the balcony, she started to turn around to face him.  
  
"So shall we get-" SMACK, the sound echoed in the small enclosed along with the sound of bone hitting metal as Rei hit the floor after Dilandau hit her. She groaned as she curled up in a ball holding her head. Laughing softly, he bent down and picked her up by holding her throat.  
  
"I've had enough of the disrespect I get from you, bitch.. I think it's time you learned who owns you." Dropping her so that she hit the floor again, he stepped around her to the dresser to pull something out of the top, and walked back over to her. Rei was curled up with her hands on her head when he knelt down again, taking his dagger out of the sheath in his boot. He was about to pull one of her hands off her head to bind it with the rope that he had gotten off the dresser, when he suddenly found himself struggling against her as she pinned him down on the floor. There was a wildish growl that poured of her throat as she fought him for the dagger. Dilandau struggled against the sudden strength of the girl, his mind didn't register the redness that began to fill her eyes, but the growl oddly reminded him of a wounded predator. After what seemed hours, Dilandau was able to kick her off him when she managed to work the dagger from his fingers and right into the oak table. Sitting up panting, he looked at Rei, laying lifeless on the floor. He continued to stare at her when her eyes slightly flickered open, until he was aware of something wet moving along side his face. Eyes darting to the mirror, he could see the small cut on his cheek. Growling he looked at the dagger that lay a few inches from her left hand, blood hung onto its tip. "You'll pay for that too bitch."

* * *

Sighing, Folken locked the door behind him. He pealed off the cloak and tossed it on to the chair next to the small table. It had been to long of a day, and being that he was barely able to sleep the day before, his mind was beyond num. Sitting down on his bed, he slowly kicked off each boot, as his mind tried to work though, and make sense of anything he had been about to translate during the day. Kane had made his work almost nearly impossible to translate, his dialect was far different then from that the Atlantians had used. After stripping down out of his clothing, Folken laid down on the bed, staring off onto the ceiling and groaned deeply. All he needed now, to make this situation anymore worse, was for someone (most likely Dilandau) to push the wrong combo of buttons. Then he'd be able to see first hand all that was written in the first seventeen pages of that experiment journal.  
  
"Great why did I have to go and think that..." he ground and he rolled over on the bed, and let his mind embrace the darkness of slumber that it had been tugging at all day.

* * *

_  
Celena attached herself to his arm once again, as they made their way through the shadows. Once in awhile in front of them, he could catch a glimpse of the short white haired girl that was taking them away from here. Away from the madoushis, away from the pain that they made happen when they 'experimented' on them. They had come this far, every time they came across a guard they were too hid in the shadows. That is what she had told them to do, leave them to her; she had said to them when they walked passed the body of the guard that had stood out side of their cell. It must had been months ago( when they were with Jajuka away from all this) but 'they' had taken them away locking them both back up into these cells. He almost bumped into the white hair demon went they stopped in front of a closed door.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked her as she cocked her head to the side and looked over her shoulder at him. The soldier's red eyes were empty of light.  
  
"It's locked..." She growled then sighed looking at the code pad. Celena shook at the soft echo of boots down in another hall that found its way to them. The girl quickly punched in some random numbers. It took her a few tries before the light turned green and the door slid open. "Come now..." She slipped in first, he and his sister waited a few seconds before following her in. They had crossed this girl when they had made their first attempt at leaving this prison. Since then she had help them in little ways, always promising them when she disappeared into the dark corridors of the ceil block, that she would get them free. Now that day had finally come. Celena walked quickly next to him, his own pace quickened. He was trying to keep up with the demon-girl that jumped among the shadows. She seemed to relax now, the death grip on his upper arm disappeared. Her hand tugged in his and she slowed down her pace.  
  
"Come on Cel...." He tugged on her hand. "We have to keep up."  
  
"I'm scared..." She whispered. He squeezed her hand slightly and he looked back at her, gold-ish silver hairthat barely touched her shoulders. Then he looked back to the she-demon as it turned around a familiar hall.  
  
"Why are we going this way?" He stopped looking at the white haired girl, who at first kept walking until she noticed that they weren't following.  
  
"We can use the melefs; there are melef patrols that circle this tower..." She titled her head; the solid red eyes looked at him, sending slivers down his spine. "You do know how to at least some what pilot one right?"  
  
"Yeah, but not very good."  
  
"It's ok..." She said turning back around. "We will only need just one... I can pilot the best, so we will take mine." They followed silently behind her again, hugging close to the shadows now that they entered a well used corridor. His nerves were jumping at any slight sound, his stomach turned the on the food he was barely able to eat only a few hours before. His mind began to play tricks on him now, making nothing out of shadows. The only reason he did nothing of the hidden figures that he could see hiding in the shadows along the hall, was a steady faint sound of the girl ahead of him. If there was any real danger, she would know. Biting down the fear that had been eating at his 'sister' only a while ago, he turned the next corner only too stop abruptly. The she demon was hunched back, teeth bared like a wild animal cornered, growling at a gray haired madoushi. He backed away a step, watching the girl and this 'thing' he hated. He did not recognize this one, but the she demon did as it jumped back a bit and tilted her head to the side puzzled.  
  
"Kane....?" There was a sad look on this ones face, not like the ones he had seen, those that poked and prodded him day in and day out. It looked as if he pitied the girl before him, his gray eyes shifted from her to the two of them. The pity seemed to echo in them as he studied them for a second. Celena was once again in a death grip on his arm, whimpering. The gray eyes locked on to his red ones. It was as if there he found him self frozen in fear (not of fear of this man) but from the pity that was in his eyes. No one had ever looked at him like that, and in the future Dilandau would find himself hating the sight of someone pitying him, because of this man. The trace of this man's eyes was broken by the sound of a hard THUD. A crossbow arrow found its self in to the she demon's chest. She staggered back in surprise, eyes staring down at the arrow in her chest, hand circled around the thing, blood began to pour out of the wound. Before he could to anything to help, his arm was suddenly grabbed, and Celena cried out was the two of them were broken apart by another man. He fought this other stranger, trying to get a hold of his frighten other half, and to help the she demon as she fell to her knees.  
  
"W-Why.....?" The words bubble out of her throat as she fell on to her side, now Dilandau could see the crossbow in the madoushi's hand, as he lowered it. Growling in fury, he fought the man harder, biting down into his hand. The assistant cried out and jerked his hand away from him, giving Dilandau the chance to run. But it was short lived as someone, a guard that had been in the shadows, grabbed him.  
  
"You stupid little-" The man cursed, looking down at his bleeding hand.  
  
"Axiom, see that those two are returned to their cells..." Kane said as he knelt down next to the she demon, pressing his hand against her neck. "I'll take care of this mess."  
  
"Yes sir. Come on you brats!" Dilandau struggled against the guard as he pulled him down the corridor, so close yet so far from freedom. But now, he fought to catch on last glimpse of the she demon.  
  
"N-NO! Nine!"_  
  
(end dream)  
  
He cried out in his sleep, tossing around in the sheets in the darkness of the room. The glitter of red eyes shimmered as the moonlight creped through the curtains. The glimmer of a dagger shimmered as it was put down from where it hovered above him. Anger and fury that once filled the red eyes fluttered in confusion. For a minute she sat on her knees next to him, dagger in hand before slipping off the bed, leaving the chewed through rope next to his head, to gather the remains of its clothing.

* * *

The door slid open and side as she walked slowly into the room, arms wrapped around themselves, trying to offer some sort of warm to her shivering body. She was careful how she walked, so not to case more pain to shoot up her sore body. There were a few soft snores from her sleeping roommate; she tossed a bit in her slumber. She walked pass her to her own bed hidden by the shadows of the lightless room. Falling to her knees she used her hands to find the medium sized chest, and opened it. There was a whine from the bed. The wolf jumped down and walked over to her, ears back and tail between his legs. His gray eyes barely locked on to her reddish sapphire ones as she looked at him before turning back to the chest. Her hands shifted through the contents slowly looking for something. Mayonaka whined again and he laid down next to her, resting his head on her legs. When she pulled her hand out of the chest, there was a glimmer from a small needle.

* * *

He found himself staring at the ceiling as a light chased away the darkness of the room. It took him a while before he realized that he was awake. Groaning, he remembered not turning out any of the candles, they must have woken him back from his dreamless sleep. Which he had found not very resting. His body still felt to tired to get up to turn any of them off. Not feeling like getting up to turn them off, he sighed and closed his eyes again.  
  
"It must have hurt." His maroon eyes shot open at the sound of the female voice, it continued to speak. "It must have hurt, went they did that, drilling metal into bone." He sat up looking to his left at the white haired girl that sat on the chair next to the bed. Long hair pulled back in a loose pony tail, a solid black long sleeved high neck shirt on, and the uniform pants. Even though the manner of her dress was a bit strange. What made him feel uneasy was the way she was looking at him, no, his metallic arm. It didn't effect him much to have someone look at his arm anymore, but the way her sapphire eyes were fixed on it, it send shivers down his back. It wasn't until the silence continued, and her eyes stayed were they here did Folken notice something wrong. They were empty, lightless.  
  
"Rei, is there something wrong?" Her eyes fluttered a bit before she looked up at him. They were empty and lightless, but some was her expression.  
  
"No...." She sighed. "And yes..." She wrapped her arms around her shoulders, half mindedly and she looked off to the side. What ever it was she had managed to get a hold of and take seemed to be inflicting a behavior manner that was not normal for her. He was so busy running a list of drugs on the Vione that could do this that he almost jumped at the sound of her voice. "It's their fault he's mentally unstable... but it's not something impossible for me to fix." She stood up then. "Just thought you'd like to know." She turned and walked towards the door. He was so caught of guard by what she said that it took him a few seconds to jump up out of the bed.  
  
"Rei, wait, t-"He was barely to say it all when the white haired girl suddenly collapsed onto the floor only a few meters away from the door. "Rei!"

* * *

_Red Moon, 3rd day  
  
It has been four weeks since project 009 collapsed in my chambers. I still do not know what caused it, or even the drug she had taken. None of mine have been missing from my lab, nor has there been any missing from the medical wing of the Vione. All I can assume is that she may have something hidden that she took from one of the madoushis. I had her things searched, but I have come up with nothing. There is a possibility that it is in her personal chest, but it has a blood lock and I cannot open it. The following morning she seemed to have returned to normal, she was anger about something, but I can not tell what is was. There were excessive burses on her body, one the most visible on her face, what caused them I can only guess to be Dilandau. She was also more 'jumpy' whenever I came to close. Whatever Dilandau did to 009 seems to have continued to have changed her behavior throughout these weeks; she has been less insubordinate, along with a few other things. I still do not know it this development is for the better or for the worse. She seems to be holding back, and now that wolf follows her around I have been able to conduct a small experiment: whenever her temper seems to get the better of her to the point that she would break under. The wolf growls or whines until the danger of her changing has passed. I will be able to use this to the advantage later, if she once again begins to become unstable again. Aurora was unable to come up anymore information of Kane's other experiments conducted on 009. But she was able to name the drug that was used in her 'emptied' years after her last attempted escape. It may have been the drug Rei used on herself, but when I tested her blood for any remains of it, there was nothing in her system except for what I have been giving her. I will have to wait until her behavior takes another rapid change. Aurora retorted that I should be honored that 009 has taken such a liking to me, that she would crack the code to my room that late at the night. I find it a bit disturbing that she can, I very much doubt that she can also get into other places without my knowing. This may prove to be a problem if I am unable to find a means to control her before she looses it again.  
  
On another note, there is no change in Dilandau's nor Celena's certain conditions. Both are responding well to the newer drugs that the other madoushis have come up with. Though it Celena's seems to have a bad effect if mixed with alcohol. After the last nights drink out with her brother, she has been in the medical wing with stomach pains. And with all the Dragonslayers and Dilandau going out on melef practice she was deemed her day to be spent with me. Since her brother will not allow her to come along. I will, unfortunately, not be able to do anymore testing with her hanging over my shoulder, but it has been awhile since I have had time with her. And she does seem to have something planed and won't tell me. Maybe a break will help clear my mind so that I can have a clear view of what I am doing.  
_

* * *

"Alright.." Dilandau said over the crackle of the com of his Alseides "Lets keep in mind what we're doing out here." The high winds beat on his Guymelef as he flew behind his slayers (all in a perfect V formation) beside him flew the damn wench on the demon armor that had been in the hanger. The black dragon hovered slightly beneath him; Rei's white hair flew wildly in the height winds. He had enjoyed the change in her attitude after that night, though he sort of missed her smart retorts to his orders. Though, there had been a flicker of her old self went she had walked her guymelef right off the hanger floor into the sky only to have it raise as the black dragon that it was now (a/n: for those of you who care, it looks much like the version of Escaflowne in the movie, not the series.. I really don't want to go into detail...cries this chapter is too long as it is...). The crackle on the com was because of the head set she wore, that was being beaten on by the winds. "Dallet how long have we been out here?"  
  
"Four hours sir." The boy responded, almost yelling over the com. Dilandau growled inwardly, he was going to have to find a different means of the communicator for the girl if this kept up.  
  
"Alright, let's get some target practice in before we return to the Vione......" His eyes traced the mountain terrain. "Now... To find a moving target..."  
  
"They can shoot at me.." Rei's voice came over the intercom. "I might as well do something today besides freezing my ass off..." She broke off from him and rose higher in the air to catch a stronger wind that carried her farther in front of the formation of the other Dragonslayers.  
  
"Alright boys, lets see which attack squad can hit our lovely dragon first, won every wins, the team gets a bottle of Austria wine with there dinner tonight!" Dilandau yelled, with a smile, this odd to be interesting. "Break formation!" The six melefs broke off into two groups. Alfa, the attack group that consisted of Shesta, Guimel and Miguel turned off to the left. Beta, consisting of the last three, Dallet, Viole and Gatty continued to fly straight. There were shouts of orders over the com by the team leaders, as they chased after the dragon, it only twirled out anyway from there attacks, with out a scratch. The Alseides hovered in the air, watching the dragon keep them all in a certain radius around him. He moved every now and then to keep out of harms way. Even though Alfa had shot of the less amount of times, they seem to be closer then the Beta. She would angle her Ispano guymelef just so that their tries would barely miss her.  
  
"Beta, don't waste your crima claws if you can hit the target!" He yelled over the com. Annoyed that they were having such a hard time. Dropping the idea of trying to hit her with a claw, Beta was the first to try and trap Rei so that she could not escape, but by making a spinning drop she was able to get passed them. It's was Alfa that made it a success when Rei yelled at Shesta.  
  
"Shesta! The point is to try and hit me, not actually hit me! You nicked my wing!" There was a sputter in her graceful fight, then she regained control over the guymelef. There were shouts of victory from Alfa, along with the groans of defeated. Dilandau couldn't help but smile at this a little in the enclosed chamber of the Alseides; he knew that out come before this had even started, Shesta was always the better shot out of the six boys.  
  
"Sorry, I was aiming for you flank.." Shesta's voice sheepishly came over the com, admitting he had missed his target, but he was still the first to land a shot of the Ispanol guymelef. Rei didn't respond as she hovered in the air several miles over the rocky terrain. Voices agreed over the com as he watched her, he could see her head turning each which way as if listening for something.  
  
"But you guys always win!" Dallet's voice yelled over the com, being Dilandau attention back to the melefs hovering in the air not to far away from him.  
  
"O, stop you whining, Dallet, you can do just as good if you weren't so wide with your aim. "Guimel laughed.  
  
"So wide?!!" Dallet shouted. "You shouldn't be talking Guimel, you can even get a dam-"  
  
"Enough!" Dilandau shouted over the crackling of the com to silence the argument that had broken out. "You're all starting to should like a bunch of school girls. Alfa wins the wine, lets get back to the Vione before one of you block heads tear apart another of my melefs like you did last time!" There was silence once again on the com link, minus that of the crackling from Rei's com. "Reform ranks, and let's get back to the Vione." He watched them reform the perfect "V" that they had started in. He raised the Alseides so that he was level with them before they began to make their way back in the direction of where the Vione would be. It wasn't until they had traveled half a mile before he noticed that the blue dot on the radar hadn't moved, and was not following them.  
  
"Rei, why aren't you following?" There was nothing but crackling over the com to answer him. "Rei!"  
  
"Go ahead... there's something I've got to check out, Sir." He was barely able to pick up her voice through crackling on the com. Before he could say anything to her, there was a silence over the com link, no more crackling over as Rei turned off her com link. But her tracer was still on and Dilandau watched it move east on the radar.  
  
"Do you want us to retrieve her sir?" Miguel's voice came on.  
  
"No, I'll deal with this problem." He growled, dropping out of ranks and turning around. "Get back to the Vione." Shutting of his own com, he started back to the area that they had been practicing at in total silence, minus the soft beep on the radar._ I thought we already went though this, bitch, and you were being so good_, he growled inwardly. _Well it looks like we're going to be having a little more 'fun'.  
_

* * *

She jumped out of the cockpit onto the damp grass at the edge of the small forest. She had seen this from the air while dodging one of the slayers attack, and it was something here that had caught her attention. She had seen it again just after Shesta had nicked her wing. Curiosity had not drawn her here; it was more the feel of something she once knew. Kneeling down, she brushed her had over the grass, before it stopped, hovering over broken pieces, in the shape of a foot print.  
  
"This way..."

* * *

Dilandau landed the Alseides down on the grassy opened field at the rim of the small evergreen forest, next to the sleeping from of the Rei's Ispanol guymelef. Jumping down from the Alseides, he looked up at the sleeping black demon. It's cloak fluttered slowly in the light breeze. It was empty, Rei must have wondered into the forest, but why would she go in there? He walked a bit in each direction trying to get a good idea were she may have gone, but it wasn't until he saw the small imprint in the mud did he move into the forest. Jumping from root to root, and along the over ground forest floor, his mind was clicking through things that he could do to the winch when he found her. He was so lost in thought that he almost stumbled right into the clearing where she laid. Unconscious on the forest floor, Rei laid on her stomach with a dark haired boy bent over her. His head shot up at the sound of a twig snapping as Dilandau stepped forward pulling out his sword.  
  
"What the hell do you think yo-" Before he was able to finish his sentences, something was bashed against the back of his neck. He felt himself hit the ground before falling unconscious.

* * *

He was aware of the throbbing pain mostly on the back of his neck then any where else as he slowly came back around, listening to the sounds of rasp breathing. At first he didn't bother to open his eyes, the headache pounded behind his closed eyes, but he slowly become aware that he was oddly prompted up against something solid. Cracking his eyes opened slowly, Dilandau was blinded by the brightness of the lights that surrounded him. He tried to shade his face from the light with his hand, but he only found that he could not move at all. Despite the pain he could feel, his body itself left heavy and stiff.  
  
"I don't think you gave him enough..." A voice came, from in front of him, smooth and light as it spoke. He tried hard to focus his eyes on where the voice came from, but his vision was blurred, all he could make out was the dark shadowy from on a man standing next to a bared door. "He's awake.."  
  
"Um.. That doesn't mean anything, boy." A deeper voice responded. Finding himself able to move his head, he shifted into the direction of the voice. This male was closer for him to make out through his blurred vision. Silver hair fell around his face, as he knelt down next to something lying out on the floor, with a small black bag next to his knee. It wasn't until he stood up, did Dilandau see the mess of white hair. Rei, unconscious, and breathing irregularly, it was then he realized that the rasp sounds were coming from her. "It should start working soon, as long as she doesn't try to fight it."  
  
"I told you not to give her so much..." the other voice scowled, the silver hair one just laughed as he carefully stepped over Rei and walked towards the blinding light. "What are we going to do with him?"  
  
"Nothing right now..."  
  
"Nothing, then why didn't we just leave him there for the dragons?!"  
  
"Temper, temper." The silver hair man's voice laughed again as the door to the cell closed and locked. "We can live it up to Celtic king to decided what to do with him, he's just a constellation to getting what we came here to get." There footsteps echoed as they walked away, Dilandau had to strain to hear them.  
  
"You make it sound like you didn't want to do this."  
  
"On the contrary, 003, I live for this." 003? Numbers....I've heard those before so were... He slipped back in to unconscious as Rei's breathing returned back to normal.

* * *

"What the hell do you mean she's missing!?" Aurora's voice was ear popping as she jumped up from her set, face magnified by the screen. Folken barely glanced at it as he paced back and forth lost on thought. "You're kidding me right? Could she be like flying around in Silencer, it's been months since she was last let near that thing."  
  
"It's kind of impossible for her do just be on a 'joy ride' when her guymelef is sitting empty in the hanger." He growled back. "And she's not the only one missing... So is Dilandau."  
  
"What? Both projects? You're really pulling my leg right, Folken.... This isn't funny."  
  
"I wish I was..." Aurora fell back into her chair, head in her hands as she stared at him through the screen while he continued to pace back and forth.  
  
"Getting away with just Dilandau missing, that's easy. He has a habit of disappearing and his slayers setting off false alarms...but with both him and 009, that's like asking Emperor Dunkirk to roll over and play dead ." She groaned and pulled on her hair. "How long?"  
  
"Seven hours." He stopped and looked at her as she shuffled about some papers in her hands.  
  
"This could be a major problem.............. Celtic knows about 009."

* * *

She felt cold hands press against her neck as she slowly came around, back to in her aching body. It wasn't pain, like that from battle, or from over work on muscles, but it was just plain pain. Like someone had messed with your insides, or that they were on the bridge of exploding, but to put it bluntly, she felt like hell. The cold had pressed against her forehead, she opened her eyes only to blink at the brightness.  
  
"Welcome back to reality bitch." Dilandau said, unnerving and she looked up at him through blurred eyes. "You would care to know were the hell we are?" Rei blinked a few times She took in the dark wood of the room, the bare wall to her left, the shifting motion beneath, leaving the conclusion that they were not on the ground but moving through the air.  
  
"Some sort of transport.." She managed to cough out through her overly dry throat. She tried to sit up a bit, but only found that her body was num to her mind's order. Dilandau looked at her when she fell back onto the wood floor.  
  
"I figured that..... Don't try to move, they gave you something, mines worn off a bit... I can at least walk around now." He leaned over her again, looking down in the unfocused sapphire pools, and laid his hand down on her forehead again. "You're burning up. Whatever they gave you must not be agreeable."  
  
"W-water..." He stood up then and walked away from her sight only to return a few seconds later with a glass in his hand.  
  
"I wasn't going to touch any of this, but I can't have you burning up on me...." He knelt down next to her, and tilted her head up so that he could pour the water down her throat. Rei coughed the water up the first few times, before he was able to get her to swallow the rest of the glass.  
  
"H-have to get o-out of here..."  
  
"And how do you propose we do that?" He growled at her. She closed her eyes as if in through. "I've got nothing to pick the lock with... and then there's the problem of being in the air!" She glared up at him.  
  
"Help me to the door... I know how to get out of here..." She started to sit up.  
  
"And may I ask," Dilandau groaned from her added weight to his own, his knees almost buckled from the added pressure. "How do you know?" She limped along with him as they made their way to the bared wall. She leaned up against the door part, and put her arm through the bars.  
  
"The ships made out of red pine... There's only one kind of ship made out of red pine, and that's a Celtic transport." Her hand jiggled at the lock on the door. "And lucky for us," something clicked, and the door slide open, "They're all designed the same..."  
  
"Lucky as hell, how did you get it open?" She pulled her hand back in an pushed the door open.  
  
"One never lets their secrets known." She flashed a smile at him before looking about the halls. "Left, we can get out going that direction."

* * *

Most of the time Rei had leaned against the wall for support as they made their way around the ship in the direction she picked. Whether or not there was a way off a transport in the air, he didn't know. But, as long as it was better then being in that cell, he didn't care. At some point, he had to help her walk, when she almost collapsed, the drug they had given her hadn't yet worn off. Helping her walk along the corridors was easy though, but down these damn steps, was hard as hell. She had led them here, one of the hangers on the transport; luckily they hadn't run into anyone, well yet anyways.  
  
"How much longer...?" Dilandau asked, shacking her a bit to keep her from falling unconscious. She looked about the opened space for a few seconds, like she wasn't sure where she was until her eyes caught something.  
  
"This is it..."  
  
"This is a hanger...How the hell are we getting off this airship from a hanger?!" He snapped at her, freezing at the bottom of the stair well.  
  
"You'll see asshole." Rei growled at him, the first spark of herself he had seen since she had woken up. "Out to the center of the floor, leave me there. Then you go pull that lever to the far side, it will opened up to our escape."  
  
"Wow... what a plan." Dilandau rolled his eyes as they limped their way through the boxes scattered about the floor to the clearing in the center. He left her leaning against a set of boxes and he made his way to the lever she had pointed out. Finding the thing was harder then she had made it seem, it was buried beneath several small wooden boxes and some nets that held them together. "What the hell is this thing carrying?" He mumbled as his hand finally caught hold of the small lever, and he pushed it down until it caught. Nothing happened at first, but after a few seconds there was a loud moan that echoed in the small, crate full hanger. The ground seemed to shake as the clear part of the hanger floor began to fall down out of the ship, letting the setting sun light seep through the crack that began to form as the two parts fell away from each other.  
  
"What the hell?" Dilandau half said out loud. He made his way back to where he had left the white haired girl. As he rounded a set of tall boxes, she saw her standing next to the opening in the floor looking down onto the world below. There were formations of rocks below that he could make out as he walked slowly to her. They were higher up then he thought they would be, and with the look on her face she must have missed guess as well. He stopped next to her, looking down on the rocky terrain below. "Do we have a plan B?"  
  
She looked up at him and frowned before looking back down at the terrain below. It looked like she was trying to figure something. Sighing he turned away a looked over the rows on rows of boxes scattered about in the hanger, letting his mind wonder on what was in them. There was a silence between them before the sound of running feet echoed in the hanger. The black hair boy from the forest appeared on the upper floor of the hanger.  
  
"There they are! The floors open!" He shouted over his shoulder making his way to the stair well. Behind him, coming from the same corridor, Dilandau could see the silver haired made from before.  
  
"Shit! We've been found!" Dilandau growled, he was weaponless and probably still drugged, but he wasn't going to let them have him without a fight. Although Dilandau would not get a change to fight with the two men this time, Rei wrapped her arms up under his before using her weight to being him with her and they plummeted over the edge of the open hanger floor. He wasn't able to find his voice to yell anything at them when the wind better his words back into his opened mouth, and he stared down at the sharp rock terrain that had once been thousands of feet below them now coming quickly towards them.

* * *

Congratulations, you have just finished reading 9,404 words.... Be proud of yourselves.... And please make this overly tried, exhausted, and half dead writer happy. Review ......  
  
**GA1:**collapsed over keyboard) twitch, twitch  
  
**Folken** _poke_ I think she's dead....  
  
**Celena:** She can't be! She cannot leave our readers with that  
cliff hanger! She may loose them....  
  
**Folken :** _pokes GA1 again_ do you want to tell her that?  
  
**GA1:** twitch, twitch


	14. I Fall

_To Tame a Beast_  
  
Mwahahaha.. and the evil cliff hanger ends.. along with a lot of revealing of secrets.. Read and review.. make this poor little writer feel loved

* * *

_Catch me as I fall  
  
Say you're here and it's all over now  
  
Speaking to the atmosphere  
  
No one's here and I fall into my self  
  
This truth drives me into madness  
  
I know I can stop the pain if I will it all away  
_  
-Evanescence Whisper  
  
Chpt. 13 _......I fall_  
  
The wind beat against them as they fell from the bottom of the transport, down towards the rocky terrain below. Fear gripped down on him, the world whirled around him. He was unable to scream from surprise because the wind ripped away his voice and his ability to breathe. Death, he never feared it, he had always danced along its thin edge every time he stepped onto the battle field. But this, this was not the way he had envisioned his own death. To die by the hands of a stronger opponent, but not by the suicide attempt to escape from being captured by the enemy. He would have rather stayed up there, fighting to his own death then to be falling down towards the world. Down towards a long with held death that falls like this could only bring.The rocks begin to gain more detail. Dilandau found himself digging his fingers down onto her hands. Water began to stream up off his face since the force of the wind was drying his eyes, he was unable to blink. It was then, just before his mind lost the battle for conscious that they suddenly jolted upward out of their straight fall. His neck snapped out from the force of the sudden change, causing him to black out for a few seconds. When his vision came back they were no longer falling, but moving parallel to the rocky ground.  
  
"How....?" Dilandau was able to cough; the air flooded his burning lungs. A loud 'snap' echoed in his ears, two vibrant wings with red tipped feathers blocked his view of the world below before disappearing again. Something in him froze, he was unable to speak, move as the last of the echoing 'snap' in his ears dead away into the silence of the roaring winds. Daringly he turned his head slowly against the newly directed force of the wind his left to glaze at one, as it stretched far out. The feathers ruffled in the wind, they moved along with roaring wind. "You're......you're a....draconian."  
  
The red tipped winds snapped again, but this time a hot liquid sprayed a crossed his neck as she rose her wings back up. Tearing his red eyes away from the wings he looked down at the passing ground while he pulled one of his hands out of its death grip on Rei's. Moving it as slowly as the force of the wind allowed him; he wiped the liquid off of his neck and looked down onto his black glove. There in the mists of the black leather was the dark red of blood. It was then; Dilandau felt her hands dig down into his shoulders through his armored jacket, and the gasp of pain from Rei. She snapped her wings again causing another spray of blood. Doing the best he could, he looked back at her, and she buried her face into his shoulder.  
  
"Rei w-"  
  
"Gods...." The whimpered cry silenced him and she lifted her head. He could see the pain in her sapphire eyes as they locked on to his red ones. "I can't......we're too high... Not meant to be... Have to....got to...dive..." She stopped in half finished thoughts; whether she was actually saying the whole thing, Dilandau couldn't tell since the wind ripped her words away. Leaving him with the half finished, scrambled words that made no sense to him. She gasped in pain again, flexed her wings, and buried her face into his shoulder again.  
  
"Rei.... Rei what did you say I-" The wind ripped away the rest of the words from him. He wanted to hear what she was trying to say, to understand by her wings had been tainted by blood. Did draconians bleed when they used their wings? No he had seen Folken use his once, when he was younger. There was no blood then, but why was she bleeding. So lost in thought, he did realize that the rocks below had given way to a vast forest, nor did he realize that Rei's grip on him was loosening until there was a sudden drop in their altitude. He slammed up against her went the dropped happened, when he reclined away from her, he almost fell right out of her arms. He gripped down on her hands to keep himself from free falling down into the trees that flourished below, stilling a few glance up at her. Her eyes were half open, falling asleep; as if to reflect this motion, with every single moment passed it seemed that the muscles in her arms relaxed more and more.  
  
"Rei! Rei come on now stay awake!" Dilandau yelled over the roaring wind as they dropped a few more feet. Her eyes fluttered open, to look at him.  
  
"The...pain... to....must...lose...more...Can't.." The words, the thought was lost to him and her body suddenly relaxed. He didn't have time to grab hold of her hands. He began his free fall to the world below. Fear took hold of him, like it had when they first started this; whatever had caused Rei to bleed was probable the cause of her loss of strength. Without her wings, the fall to death took place again. This time he was alone, he couldn't see Rei as he fell. Whether or not she had took on the fast dive before, he did not know, but here he was unable to scream or breathe. The burning of his empty lungs was the first thing to fill as he tried to grab onto the air. The darkness of unconsciousness began to take hold of him, it should before he met the painful death that awaited him. They were still high up enough for it to happen; one would suffocate before they hit the ground from the height that they were falling from. But, just as his vision gave away to the bliss of that darkness, something took hold of his out stretched hand.

* * *

Celena jumped out of her guymelef onto the platform. Pulling off the bracers that were on her arms, she watched the two other Dragonslayers launch out of the hanger. Fifty-seven hours, for fifty-seven hours there had been no sign of him, tired and exhausted, she was forced to return to the Vione after an unsuccessful search. No matter, the original plan had been to switch off every few hours, but she refused the relief and continued. Lack of sleep had been something she was trained to take, but Guimel had ordered her back. The bracers hit the metal flooring; the sound rang in her ears. She stared helplessly out after the departing melefs. _Where are you brother?  
_  
"Celena?" She turned around to look at a worried Shesta. He stopped on the second step before the platform. She dropped her arms to her sides, finding that she had been holding herself.  
  
"Report..." _That's it, assume your position._ If this happened in combat, this would be the response that they all made, Guimel would take command, and she would be second.  
  
"Sections K9 through C12 have been searched; Miguel and Gatty are searching sections P13 through F17 as we speak. There has been no sign of them yet." Sighing again, she nodded and walked down the steps past him only to stop when he started to speak again. "But, on another note, Celena, there was a transport that docked with the Vione a few hours ago. It was only here for a few minutes before leaving." She whirled around to look at the blond boy.  
  
"Do we know why it was here?"

* * *

"Folken!" Celena half yelled as she opened the door to his study, anger was riding of the bridge of the back of her mind. How dare he? How dare he bring one of THEM here without asking her first? She half caught herself, stopping the train of thought before it went any further; she was not going to turn into her brother. There sitting at the table was a red headed woman, bent over what looked like an old fashion radar that was set up on the table. The woman held part of a head set against one of her ears and she turned dials on the radar, the dark madoushi's cloak fell out around her. Her red hair fell down over her shoulders. Folken was standing next to her, and had been watching intensely just before Celena had yelled. When he looked up, his tired and worried eyes had stopped her short of yelling all the mad words she had thought up when she had made her way through the Vione. Mental shaking herself for the sudden desire that ran through her mind, she forced herself to speak. "What is going on here?"  
  
"Assisting in the conduction of the search." The woman's hand moved off one dial to another, turning it every which way as if trying to get the radar to focus on a certain signal. Frowning, Celena watched her, how was this helping in the search, when neither Dilandau nor Rei were in there their guymelefs, nor did either of them have anything electronic with them. Rei's com had been found inside the Silencer's cockpit. She looked up at Folken confused. Unless there was a........  
  
"There's a tracker on Dilandau?" Her eyes widened. "They put trackers on us?!"  
  
"Celena, it's not-" Folken stared to say, when a beeping noise silenced them both, Folken's reason, her anger. The woman adjusted a few more dials before a small spick on the radar screen began to blink. He looked away from her and down at the screen as the woman laid the head set on the table.  
  
"Those should be the coordinates; she doesn't seem to be moving that may not be a good thing..." There was an easement in the woman's voice as she spoke, leaning back in the chair.  
  
"She...?" was all Celena could say.

* * *

His body ached all over, bruises covered in bruises; it hurt to inhale, but most of all he felt a splitting headache tearing apart his skull. Slowly becoming aware of his surroundings, Dilandau lifted his hand up slowly to cover his eyes, the light burned through his eye lids. Besides the light, his mind slowly registered the softness on the bed beneath his back, the sheet pulled up over his naked body, and lastly the wraps that went around his ribs. There was the sound of someone breathing, turning his head slightly, he cracked his eyes open only to bring them shut again and moan from the brightness. A chair hit the floor as that other person jumped up to there feet.  
  
"Dilandau?" Celena's voice came to him, part of the bed bent into the direction her hands pushed down on it. Her cool have touched the side of his face.  
  
"The light....."  
  
"O! I'm so sorry!" The bed jumped and she ran to the pad lock on the door. The lights in the room lightened away into almost nothing, he opened his eyes with ease. Dilandau blinked a few times to make his eyes focus before Celena's head appeared over him, the look of worry crossed into her blue eyes. She pressed her hand against his face. "You had me worried for a while that you weren't going to get up.... At less your fever has broken..."  
  
"How long...Where?" She pressed a cold cloth against his forehead.  
  
"You've been back on the Vione for almost seven hours.... We spent forever going through that forest..." She smiled slightly, but it faded away, the cloth fell from her hand. He could see the tears pour down her face before she started crying. Leaning downward, Celena buried her face in his shoulder. "I was so scared that I'd lost you. You promised that you wouldn't do that anymore. "  
  
"Cel..." Dilandau wrapped his arms around his crying sister, she began to shake from her sobs. She continued talking, in mumbles and he managed to lay her down so that it would be easier to hold her. It was then, holding his shaken sister, that the memories began to flood back into his now awaken mind.  
  
_Unconscious on the forest floor, Rei laid on her stomach as a dark haired boy bent over her. His head shot up at the sound of a twig snapping.  
  
She was on the wooden floor, the man stood up, breathing harshly. Chest rising and falling irregularly like she was fighting something off.  
  
Falling, falling down toward the rocky terrain, the wind took away his voice, erasing his scream of surprise as she pulled them over the edge of the hanger in the transport.  
  
Vibrant blood tipped wings snapped as they fought a losing battle to keep them in the air. She cried out in pain as he tried to keep a grip on her hands.  
_  
"Rei.." Dilandau half bolted up in the bed, arms still around his sister who stopped crying the second he jolted up. "Celena.. Where's Rei?" She pushed bit away from him, eyes unable to look up into his.  
  
"Brother... There's something you need to know..."

* * *

The sound of bare feet running against the metal floor echoed down the hall. He was barely able to get himself some what dressed in a pair of black slacks and a black long sleeve shirt before bolting out of the room leaving Celena sitting at the table. He slipped pasted the other soldiers walking about the corridors, not caring if they took a second look at their commander as he made his way through the Vione. Taking two steps at a time, he made his way to the middle levels. Almost skidding passed the door, Dilandau made his way into the infirmary. A high pitched scream ripped into him as the door opened, revealing the chaos that had run its course in the inner most parts of the Vione. There in the middle of it all, restrained down on a table, screamed the wounded creature; white hair flying about as her body arched up against the restrains holding her down on the table, blood streaming everywhere. Her clothing ripped to shreds, revealing the many open cuts that covered her tan body, but most of the blood that dripped down off the table came from the openings on her back. She slammed back down on the table with the same fury. He was frozen watching her struggle, a red headed woman tried to hold her down, yelling at the medics. Rei's eyes echoed what Celena had finished telling him, the solid blood shot red eyes tore at everything in the room.  
  
"Where the hell is Folken!?" The red head yelled. "I can't treat her if I don't know what the hell they gave her!" Someone ran past him out into the halls, the chaos continued here. She struggled and fought against her restraints, all the while making the cuts in her wrists worse then they already were. "For the love of the Gods, if this keeps up I'm going to run out of blood to give her!" A female medic pushed passed him and disappeared into the hall just seconds before another blood curling scream cut through the voices that filled the room. He couldn't move, all his muscles were frozen to place as he watched the scene unfold before him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, old memories of his childhood broke out of their shells. Rei struggled against her restraints.  
  
"Someone get me something to sedate her with, if she keeps this up we're going to have to add broken bones to the list of injuries!" The red head yelled, she once again pushed Rei down onto the table. The woman looked up at him, and sort of froze. Whether it had been some sort of look on his face that made that look cross her own, she looked slightly worried. The female medic came bursting through the doors once again, this time carrying a small piece of paper which the woman grabbed. She glanced down at it, before looking back at him. "I need 27 milligrams of pamylica and get him out of here! The last thing I need is her to flip through an episode!"  
  
"Lord Dilandau..." The female medic turned and walked towards him slowly. "Please leave the infirmary, and report to Lord Folken, he wishes to speak to you." Still froze, his mind took a few minutes before absorbing the words of the young medic before he turned away, and walked through the doors leaving behind the struggling white hair she-demon.

* * *

The door to the study opened slowly, Dilandau half dragged himself in, lost in the thoughts and images that plagued his mind. Folken stood out on the balcony, concealed in the darkness of the night, and watched the silver haired boy slump down into a chair. Dilandau rested his head on the edge of the table, looking down at his hands not realizing he was behind him. Shaking his head, Folken quietly walked into the room and over to the far bookshelf where he pulled out several books to reveal a small glass bottle half filled with a brownish liquid.  
  
_How?_ His red eyes focused down at his hands and ran over the small piece of metal between them. Using one finger, he traced the words imprinted on them. Her dog tags, how Celena was able to get a hold of them, he cared not to know but here was all the evidence that one needed to know. She had survived, all this years he thought she had died, the she-demon that had tried to help them through those rough years. She, who had died trying to free them from the imprisonment that they had to suffer through, was alive. Had she no memory of them? Was that why she had never came back for them if she had lived through that arrow? Or had she just decided not to help them anymore? Questions after questions swirled in his mind, he wanted so much to go back to the infirmary and yell at her for not helping them, for leaving him alone once again to the madoushis. But, apart of him was to afraid to stand back up and walk down there, to that scene. How many times was he strapped down like that? The sound of glass being placed on a hard surface made him lifted his head to look at the small shot glass filled to the rim with a brownish liquid before him.  
  
"Drink it..." Folken said and placed the bottle down on the table a little ways down. Dilandau complied, lifting the glass to his mouth carefully so not to spill any of it. The whiskey burned at his throat making it made its way down, he set the glass back down on the table. Leaning back, he closed his eyes; he could feel the whiskey slowly easing the stress that was pulling his nerves. He heard another glass touch the table, slowly reopening his eyes; he saw Folken's hand resting next to another shot glass. Since when did Folken drink?  
  
"You lied to us.." It was the only thing he could think to say; for his mind was still riding in the shock it was slowly absorbing. Alive, alive, the she-demon had survived all this years, and she had been standing right under his noise for the past seven weeks. Folken closed his eyes and looked down at the table, he looked older somehow and exhausted.  
  
"In a way I did it seems. You and your sister were not the only ones to make it through the tests on the madoushis, but also 009 at a price." He sighed and shook his head before continuing. "Her memories through her childhood years were locked away in her mind so that they could never resurface. She went through drug after drug to keep her in a semiconscious state while they continued testing on her. Her death that you and Celena witnessed was something set up to make you think she had died so that there was not a chance of her memories returning. When she was nine, 009 was put into a real combat position. With in 17 hours she had leveled an enter village, slaughtered all six hundred residences. It was declared that 009 had been a success, the only problem that began to develop was that each time she was used she would become harder and harder to control. Several months ago, one of the madoushis lasted control of her; she wiped out an entire fortress along with half the residence in the Black Towers." They deserved what they got, the thought crossed his mind as he listened to Folken speak. "Two weeks before 009 was taken aboard the Vione, Rei had been released from containment..."  
  
"And was transferred here, so that you could some how come up with a method or drug should I say, to control her with?" Dilandau cut in with a curled voice, when will they learn that they can't control everything? That they shouldn't have played god with so many young lives?  
  
"Something like that... She was set in my charge as long as she nor you and Celena did not know who she truly was." He shook his head, and sighed slightly. "But, with this happening now, it was very clear that I would not be able to do anything about it." There was a silence between them, each lost in their own thoughts. Dilandau was the first to move, taking hold of the whiskey bottle and pouring some of it's contains into Folken's glass.  
  
"Now that you've cleaned your mind, I have a few bones to pick with you."

* * *

The faint glow of the candles barely made her face visible, they stood there, each a few steps from the other, awaiting their punishment for failure. They had let her escape, they had failed their purpose. The candle light flicked over her smooth, pale face. She looked at them both, her pale blue hair fell over the empty blue eyes. Even with an empty expression on her face, one could feel the anger at filled the small tent. The black haired boy shifted unease at the long silence.  
  
"Explain yourselves..." The words were cold, slicing through the silence like a knife through butter. The elder of the two took a half a step forward, and bowed slightly, the white strains of his hair fell over his dark purple eyes.  
  
"We were unable to contain her. She was able to escape even though she was drugged. 006 must have helped in the escape. We will-"his voice was cut off, something invisible clamped down on his throat, cutting of air to his lungs. He struggled slightly, hands over his own neck trying to pry off whatever was around his neck. The other boy shifted away, holding back the fear of running watching the brutal attack. Blue eyes looked away from his companion to the woman sitting down, dark blue lines were etched on her face, and arms and her blood veins became visible.  
  
"And why was 006 with you, you were only suppose to get the beast, Kaji!" she snarled and the silver hair boy was flung backwards. The sound of harsh breaking echoed in the small tent, almost out beaten by the sounds of soldiers moving about. "We are running out of time, Kaji, to make this plan work we need her, just her. You let her slip through your fingers!"  
  
"I... apologies.. I wont... let it happen again.."  
  
"You're dismissed.." Kaji stood and walked out of the tent, the night sky flickered briefly before the flap closed again. Once again there was a silence in the tent. The black haired boy stood still for a few more moments before grabbing a blanket that had been discarded on the table. He walked slowly over to the woman, and placed it around her shoulders.  
  
"Wasn't that a little harsh Vickie?" She looked up at him, anger was still the heat she body released. The empty blue eyes looked at him, giving away nothing of what was on her mind.  
  
"Kaji plays around to much; he must learn responsibility for his actions. We did not survive this long just so that he can screw this up." She shook her head. "Its going to be harder now that both 005 and 006 know about 009. But, as long as they do not find out what she is, we may have the upper hand. The beast is still sleeping with in experiment zero."  
  
"And with that power sleeping with in, we will not only repay our dues," He nodded, "but play out our revenge against them all."

* * *

She walked into the study quietly, far too exhausted to even manage to wait for him to answer the faint knock on the metal door. Folken was sitting at one end of the table, tired looking himself. He flipped thoughtlessly through the pages of the book in front of him. She plopped herself down into one of the other chairs, and leaned forward, laying her head on her arms. She could feel the coldness of the table against her bare arms. Today was to long, and the rest of the days for a while may end up being like this one. Neither of them spoke for a while, both to lost in their own thoughts. They mentally tried to find ways to fix this problem before it grew out of hand.  
  
"What did he have to say?" She was the first to break the silence, now that the other two projects knew what was going on thing would be a little harder to work around. There may have been a history behind the three of them, but with the blanks in 009's memory there could be a problem developing.  
  
"A lot of things..." Folken sighed, closing the book he had been looking through. "You don't have to stay here, Aurora, you've done more then I have asked." She shook her head, sat up and looked at him.  
  
"I hold just as much responsibility about these kids as you do. I'm not about to let you carry all of this on your own. "Aurora waved her hand in the air. "And besides, for once I get to see you in person and not over that came com thing.. You're going to need help no matter what you think. And given that you have given into Dilandau's 'demand' that 009 will no longer be given drugs to keep her under control, you'll be welcoming the extra set of hands."  
  
"He's right though..." Folken looked down at the red hair woman. "We've never seen what happens if her body has nothing foreign in its system... It could be a long shot, but I'm running out of ideas."  
  
"We all are.." Aurora shrugged. "I'll move her to her room once she's stabilized. The last thing we may want is her waking up somewhere she hates, and flip into an episode."

* * *

He blew the whistle slowly and needlessly stared of at nothing, he could hear the moments of his Dragonslayers practicing their stands. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get his mind to focus on anything. He had been back on the Vione for less then three days and he could focus. His mind would always return to the same thing, the she- demon that had not regained consciousness at all. She had been moved from the infirmary to the room she and Celena had shared. Dilandau couldn't bring himself to go near there now, memories pledged his mind. Blowing the whistle again, he watched his men's movements. Whether or not they had felt the tension that was around, they all had been quiet, not asking what was wrong with their other companion. Dilandau turned and began to pass along with training floor, half mindedly blowing the whistle. So many questions and not enough answers. He was losing sleep, and barely had an appetite. The madoushi woman continued to stay aboard the Vione, seeing to Rei's condition. Along with other things, his slayers had kept their eyes on her making sure that she did nothing that she was suppose to be doing. He dropped the whistle from his mouth, and looked down at it.  
  
"Guimel!" He dropped his sword to his side and walked up to his lord.  
  
"Yes sir?" he stood at attention as Dilandau's red eyes slowly fixed on his face, and he dropped the small whistle into his hand.  
  
"See to the rest of the days work, I have something I must see to." He turned leaving the training room and the Dragonslayers in silence. They all waited until Dilandau had disappeared into the corridor before anyone of them moved.  
  
"I don't like this.... He hasn't yelled or anything for the past few days.." Miguel said leaning against his sword. Several of the others nodded in agreement to relax. "And he's picked at his food rather then eating it.."  
  
"I don't like this either..." Gatty said in agreement and stood next to Shesta looking down the direction that their lord had disappeared into. "A wild day, Dilandau wouldn't have even bothered to do this. The two of them were always at each others' throats... What happened?"  
  
"She's like them..." Shesta turned and looked at the others. "Haven't you all figured it out yet? She's like him and Celena, projects, the madoushis' Guinea Pigs... Why do you think we have to watch that one lady...?" There was a silence among them, they all knew to well about their commander's and his 'sister's' past. None of them could even begin to guess what it was like to grow up that way, but they would not show pity to either of them. Pity was something Dilandau said made one weak. "We're going to have to watch her.. And make sure that madoushi doesn't do anything." They all nodded in agreement again before Gatty blew the whistle, and the continued their daily training, minds spinning in thought.

* * *

The door slide shut behind him as he walked into the room. The lights were turned off, but the sun light stream through the opened curtains. Celena wasn't in the room, and the chair by the far bed was empty. He walked slowly towards the far bed, the figure on it looked peaceful and calm. The sunlight danced over her dark tan skin. One hand rested on her stomach, something hidden by the half curled fingers. Her other arm lay out next to her with two tubes that were connected her to the plastic bag of blood, and a clear substance. Dilandau sat down on the chair, and studied her. Her long white hair had been pulled back into a loose braid that fell over the bed side. She was calm, no emotion created its lines over her smooth skin. He brushed a loose strain off her face before turning his attention to the thing under her hand. It wasn't hard to loosen it from the small black box. He turned it around a few times, studying it before opening it. There tossed about were the petals of a rose, naturally black. A part of him wanted to touch one to see if they were really, but another kept him from doing so, afraid that if he did they would disappear.

_(flash back)_

_She turned the flower around in her hands, studying it without saying a word to him. Small bruises covered her wrists; he could see some on the exposed parts of skin. The strange blue dress reached half way down her legs, it was shredded and dirty. There were a few on her neck, covered by her shoulder length white hair. She had snuck into his and his sister's cell for sometime now. Bring them extra rations of food, along with after things. This time, he had managed to get her this, but from the way she was looking at it, made him think she had never seen one before. Frowning she looked back at him, expressionless sapphire eyes with red strikes in them look at him confused.  
  
"What is it?" Dilandau could barely keep himself from laughing as the she-demon looked back down at the flower in her hands. He couldn't help but somewhat smile at the young she-demon carefully inspected the small rose.  
  
"It's a rose...it's a kind of flower." She looked up at him, before holding the small black rose up again.  
  
"R-rose? What's it do?" She looked back at him, holding out the small flower to him. He took in and spoon it in his hands for a few seconds.  
  
"Nothing really, but it smells really sweet. See?" He held it up to her noise, causing her to sneeze. The sound echoed down the corridors, both of them froze still and awaited the sounds of the guards making their way down the hall to catch her. But, it never came; the sneeze was just another normal sound for down here. He handed the rose back to her, in which the she-demon took without a second thought. She nodded just before she slipped out of the bars that separated the cell and the hall. He followed her there, and watched her make her way down the hall, but after a few steps she stopped and turned around.  
  
"Thank you for the gift." She waved her hand that held the small rose before becoming completely engulfed by the shadows. He walked back into the darkness where he knew his sister was, a small smile playing at his lips.  
  
"What are you so happy about?" Celena's voice whispered into his ears as he sat down next to her. His hand found her hair as he ruffled it slightly.  
  
"Something you wouldn't understand...."  
_

* * *

Mwahaha another one done! Go me... will its' not as long as the other one.. (thank goodness) but still.. its lot... yes I ended this chapter on a flash back... I hope at less a few of you caught onto what he was smiling about. But o well.. This little angel has a bed calling her name.....sleep.. 


	15. Shattered Glass

_To Tame a Beast_

Heh he sry for the wait... life is evil?

* * *

Chpt. 14 _Shattered Glass_

"What do you mean by that?" Dilandau growled leaning back in the chair, looking a crossed the table at Folken, who was flipping slowly through the pages of a small tattered gold book. Resting his head against his left hand, he waited quietly for the ex-madoushi to register his question. It had been exactly seventeen days since his short imprisonment on the Celtic ship, seventeen days since the discovery of who Rei really was. It had also been fifteen days, sixteen hours, and thirty-seven minutes since the female madoushi had in formed him that Rei had slipped into a coma like state. Something that she and Folken had reassured both Dilandau and Celena, was normal. Her mind would fall in to a coma state when her body had extreme blood loss, and external damage. He moved the fingers of his other hand impassion. Folken wrote something down on a page before flip back a few more to read something else. When he looked up at him, Dilandau could see the lines under his eyes indicating the loss of sleep. Something else that had become common these passed few days.

"Umm?"

"What do you mean by that, Folken." Dilandau growled again, becoming a little shorter tempered.

"Oh..." He shut the book and sat up a bit. "Emperor Dunkirk wishes for the four standing generals that are dealing with the Celtic problem to join forces and finally end the war. Two of them are meeting up with the Vione in a few days; the third will be delayed while the fortress is being resupplied." Dilandau growled curling his fingers in to fists, he was going to have to listen to the nonsense of White Fang's General, Jyle, and his side kick, the General of the Demon Clan, Deamor. "The plan is to hit full force against the remains of the Celtic army in the Tavnic Pass."

"Why the hell do I have to join forces with them?! I can wipe out the damn Celtic king on my own!" He jumped to his feet, slamming the chair down onto the metal floor. Folken didn't even wince from the sound, he was either too tired or to use to the sound of the boy's temper. "I've already taken care of more then half of the problems here, why the hell do I need them for!"

"Dilandau-"

"Bullshit!" Dilandau yelled turning on his heels and walked out of the study leaving Folken alone. Sighing, the ex-madoushi looked back down at the small book on the table. This was turning out to be a long and stress filled month.

* * *

He walked aimlessly down the halls not really picking out a point of destination. His mind wondered just as aimlessly from the cringing though of having to deal with two of the most annoying younger generals in the Zaibach fleet, and to the white hair she-demon that had been unconscious for so long. Dilandau wanted so much to yell at her, to strangle her for leaving them back then to the madoushis; for not trying to come back for them. Yet another part of him held him back from doing that. The part that was touched after all these years that she had kept his small token of gratitude for her help, the part that wanted to do something, but he couldn't quiet figure out what. As it seemed for the past few days, when he wondered mindlessly, he ended up outside the door to the room were his sister shared with the sleeping she-demon. He stood unsure whether or not to open it once again, or to continue walking aimlessly again until he ended up back here again later. The door slide opened as if to make up his mind for him, and he stepped silently into the room.

"In the years to come, the Auntruna Republic failed to keep its promises to the Auntrunian citizens, and a revolt happened in the early months of 68 B.N. The republic army was unable to suppress the revolt, and seven months later the Auntruna was over run by her neighboring country, Inviseia." The red haired madoushi, Aurora, read from a small book that was in her lap, as she sat next to the far bed. Rei was laid out on it in the same way she had been for the past sixteen days, not longer hooked up to a blood transfusing, or an I.V. Her voice read through the pages slowly, as he walked up to the bed, she didn't stop to take notice of him until she had finished the last of page. Closing the small book, Aurora placed it down next to the chair on top of several other books, each of different sizes. Sighing heavily, the woman rubbed the back of her neck before looking up at him. "There haven't been any changes yet, Dilandau. I will inform you once her condition changes."

"How long does she stay like this?" He looked away from the red head to Rei, her chest slowly rose and fell. There was slight movement under her eyelids for a moment before she became still again. Aurora moved to pick up another book that sat on the floor next to her.

"It depends... On the extension of shock her body is having to its injuries." She jolted something down in the small, dark blue book before continuing. "Not only do you have to account for that, but you must also count in any shock her body maybe having from withdraw of the drugs that are normally put into her system. I can give you an estimated guess... but that's about it." She watched him, he studied Rei for a few seconds more before turning around and walking out of the room. The door slide shut behind him, leaving her once again alone; with the sleeping she-demon. Rei's eyes vibrated under their eyelids, her breath slowly became deeper; like it had been just before Dilandau had walked into the room.

"Why is it......" Aurora turned the small pen in her hand. "That you do that every time he walks in here..." She leaned over and brushed Rei's bangs off her face. "Do you somehow sense him, in the dark corners of your mind that you run to? Or is it because of something else?" The door slid open again as the Dragonslayer, Shesta, walked in holding a small tray in his hands that held a small tea kettle and a cup. She stood up, readjusting the cloak that hung over her body. "Ah, are you here to release this poor woman from her shift of watch?"

* * *

_Drifting in the darkness, she stepped back from the hurtful light; back among the shattered glass that covered the ground, as her bare feet made their way over each fragment. With each step she made, a piece cut the bottoms of her feet, making her gasp from the pain. She stumbled after a few steps, falling down on to the shattered glass that was below her. She cried out in pain, it shot up her arms, the glass cut her hands. Laying still in sobs, she slowly pushed herself up, looking at the reflection she could make out. The small, childish face stared back at her with deep sapphire pools, strains of short white hair fell around her battered skin. The light blue fabric of the all too familiar , a tethered lab dress hugged around her shoulders. Sniffing she pushed herself up again, still staring at the small, broken reflection, but something keep pulling her. Deeper into the darkness, were something lay, crying out from its own suffering._

_"I'm coming......" She whispered forcing herself onward._

* * *

The wind whipped around them, they watched the world pass by below them. The brown haired one leaned against the railing, waiting for the black speck in the sky to become the floating fortress, Vione. The other, with shoulder length, black hair stood next to him, one hand on the railing. He smiled slightly staring out onto the horizon, the late evening sun gleaming down into the smaller fortress' landing bay. His white uniform glimmered in the sun light as he leaned a bit over the railing, looking below them at the soldiers running about.

"It's been a while since we've seen Dilandau." His friend laughed next to him, before standing back up again. "Think he's missed us, Jyle?" Jyle looked at him through his black bangs, before back down below.

"Are you kidding me? He's probably ransacking poor defenseless villages in shire anger." He waved his hand in the air. "You know just as well as I do that he hates our guts, Deamor...."

"Quiet," He looked at him with a shy grin, pushing his short hair back. "Man, I can't wait to get there so we can bug the hell out of him. It's been kind of boring these past few months without having someone to annoy..." The two of them laughed leaning against the railing, with their backs to the outside. The winds tossed Jyle's hair about as the two stood in a long silence.

"So... I guess you've heard too then, Deamor..." Jyle looked over his shoulder again at the speck growing large in the distance. "About the Berserker?"

"Yea..." He nodded slightly. "They assigned her there... under Dilandau's control. A little odd, don't you think, since he and his sister were projects too... You think that the madoushis are really coming down to their last straws?"

"Have to be..." Jyle frowned. "Didn't you hear what she did to General Mohan? Not just his men, but everyone on his fortress, dead in less then seven hours..." He straightened his glove slightly, and grinned. "This is going to be a quite interesting little run this time."

"What are you planning, Jyle.." Deamor arched his brow slightly. Jyle just slapped him on his back.

"O, remember when I told you that there was more then one way to kill a pyromaniac?"

"Yea..."

"Well... I think I may have us a better plan about finally getting Dilandau out of the picture."

* * *

The Dragonslayers stood together on the upper floor in the main hanger, watching the unloading of the docked ship. Melefs of different colors were being moved out of the ship in to the Vione, and soldiers were running about below them to see to the unloading. There in the middle of it all, they watched the three men standing still over seeing the whole thing. The two general's of White Fang, and the Demon Clan seemed to be engrossed in conversation that seemed to be annoying the hell out of Lord Dilandau. None of the Dragonslayers where going to leave the hanger to attended to the other things that had to be done; instead, they would all watch from a distance for the first signs of trouble. One would have to be completely stupid to leave Lord Dilandau alone on the Vione when the two most despised people any of them could think of where walking about on the Vione itself. They were one short; Celena was more then happy to volunteer to take the watch on Rei, will the rest of them stood watch over her brother. Guimel leaned against the railing watching will the others stood around behind him in a sort of silence.

"The next few weeks are going to be such a living hell..."Viole growled slightly and eyed the Demon Clan soldiers, who seemed to be having fun getting in the way of the Vione soldiers. "And we thought the past few weeks were a living hell... Man I can feel the tension growing in the air..."

"Yes, Viole a lot of things are growing in the air.." Miguel mocked brushing his hair back. Dallet smacked him upside the head, and murmured something to low for the others to make out, not that any of them were thinking to hard on what he said.

"Now, here's the puncher. What are we going to do?" Shesta walked over to the edge of the overhang and peered down at the three generals. "Having them two here is bad enough, but their men are going to be walking around freely on the Vione, causing as much trouble as they can. Remember last time?"

"Yea... They managed to sabotage four of our melef units, nearly killing me and Gatty in during a training session." Guimel answered, not looking back at the others, he ran his hand through his blondish-white hair. "They also boo-bee trapped one of the cargo bays so that a bunch of crates would fall on some of the night-shift officers." There was another, all of them alert to watch was happening below them.

"It's going to be hard... From watching Dilandau-sama, the White Fangs, and the Demon Clan, along with watching Rei; it's going to spread us kind of thin don't you all think?" Dallet said walking over to Guimel. "There are more of them then there are of us."

"Your right.." Gatty responded. They all looked at him, it was the first time he had said anything the whole time. Out of the six of them, Gatty was able to keep his head cool, and was always able to think of best course of action they should take. "We can drop the watch on Rei... The madoushi hasn't really done anything but watch her, on top of that Celena is normally in the room anyways. We'll rotate who watches what in pairs. They normally stay in groups, if any separates from the group; someone breaks from the pair and follows them. Guimel and Shesta will keep an eye on Dilandau, you two will make random checks on Rei, just incase. Keep the madoushi woman guessing. The rest of us will see two them..." He pointed down at the soldiers in the white and pure black armor.

"Sounds like a good plan..."

* * *

Celena folded the blanket slowly, watching the woman across the room. Her red hair fell down off her shoulders as she bent over to pick something up. It felt sort of odd, to be sitting, willingly, in the same room as one of THEM. Well, being alone with Folken was something different even though he was once a madoushi, but here was this ex-madoushi, sitting in her room watching over her sleeping roommate. Aurora tossed her hair off her shoulders and she sat back up, with a small notepad in her hands. Still watching her, Celena laid the folded blanket over the end of her bed, Mayonaka was half asleep on it; gray eyes barely open enough for her to see that he was partially awake. Smiling, Celena patted his head before plopping down on the bed next to him. The past few days, the poor wolf had been sitting in this room, either on her bed or Rei's when the madoushi wasn't here. He seemed to be waiting for something, once in awhile Mayonaka would pace about the room, whining. Half sighing, she looked back at the madoushi; everyone else was out on the hanger watching carefully as the two other generals came aboard. Nothing was going to be peaceful on this 'stupid-floating-piece-of-rock' fortress for a while. Everything has been going so... oddly then it normally does. Sure, this little thing with 009 still being alive is WAY to far from a normally day in this hell hole, but having all the generals in one place at a time. That was just asking for a complete disaster.

Dilandau may over look the way the other generals hold grudges against him, but she did have to look too hard to see it. Her brother was the one of the youngest generals ever in the history of the entire planet. There is somewhere, written in a book that states the regulations of the Zaibach military, that one has to be a reasonable age before becoming a general, even if they met the requirements at an age younger that. Jyle Humozi and Deamor J'Lona were qualified to become generals when they were fifteen years old, but because of the age requirements, they had to wait five years before anyone would actually give them that position. It was different for Dilandau. There was no military rule ever applied to him, not regulations that Dilandau was set against. The day he walked out of the Black Towers, he had been given the rank of General. Not only was Dilandau given that, but he was also given charge of a superior attack force, the Dragonslayers. This force had been something Jyle and Deamor had been competing for since their days in the training camps (another thing Dilandau and she luckily got out of having to do). Not only did this infuriate the two that had work so hard to get so far and only be shot down, but what had gotten them in the end didn't stop Dilandau from making the general rank. Dilandau had been ten years old when he walked out of the Black Towers away from the reach of the madoushis. And thus the rivalries started, or well if you can call them that. Jyle and Deamor always seemed to enjoy making their stays living hells. Their men even help in the whole thing, will their generals worked on infuriating Dilandau, their men used their free time to bet on the Dragonslayers. This, because of Dilandau tough training, was hard to do unless they all ganged up on one slayer.

Grinding her teeth together, Celena watched the madoushi write something down in the small notepad. Then, on top of that, there was always a bet to see who could humiliate her first. This was why Dilandau never really let her go anywhere on the Vione alone unless she was accompanied by someone else, which most of the time was either Gatty, or Celena just followed Folken around. At less hiding in her room would always be an opinion, and with Rei out of it, made it a very reasonable excuse for not attending anything around the Vione.

"You know, doing that to your teeth is a bad habit to get into.." She nearly fell out of the bed when Aurora's voice cut through her trail of thought. The red haired woman was looking at her from where she sat before looking back down at Rei and writing something else. "Well, at less your habit isn't as bad as Folken's, when he gets annoyed by something..."

"Folken....Annoyed?" Celena arched her brow as she looking at the woman. Sure, Folken could probably get annoyed, not that he ever showed it. Hell, sometimes it was like a game of interrogation to even figure out if he was having a good day. Aurora smiled slightly and laid her pen down.

"Ah, hard for you to believe then? Maybe he only does it around me." Frowning slightly at the woman, she looked down at the notepad. There was an acquired silence between the two of them for a few moments before Celena spoke.

"What... does he do?"

"His claw, he taps profusely on tables or the arm rest of a chair." She rolled her blue eyes. "And most of the time the table or chair was made out of metal! The sound is soooooooooooo annoying!" Aurora waved her hands in the air. "You also can tell when he's a little bit happy, because the he has this funny little smile that you can barely notice, unless you look closely. Then ends of his mouth sort of curl up! Though if you ever getting him to laugh, he becomes a lot more relaxed.. Though it's hard to do that, he has a very strange sense of humor. Though, th-"Celena smiled slightly listening to the ex-madoushi speak, the woman seemed to become more relaxed as she continued to speak. The past few days must have been hard on her, always being watched by one of the Dragonslayers. For a second you could say there could be pity on Celena's mind, but with a glance at the figure on the bed only brought the reminder of what this person had once done for a living. Still the woman knew more then Celena had put together on Folken in the past few years, so she listened intensely to what Aurora was saying. From what she seemed to know, the cracks one could find in that cold mask that Folken had created. It lead her to began to wonder just how long she had known Folken, if she had know anything about his past, the blanks in his life that he would never share. Also, as the small pain pulled at her heart, if there was anything between Aurora and him.

"How...... long have you known him?" Celena asked finally, ending a small easy silence that had over fallen the two as the ex-madoushi wrote something in the small notepad.

"Known Folken?" She looked up at her from a moment before looking back down at the pad in her lap. "Um.. I met him at my wedding with my first husband... He was about... o, sixteen I think. I was in charge of him until he got the hang of things in the Black Towers... He was a sweet kid before it all..." Aurora shook her head sadly at something before returning to writing. Celena forced herself to not smile; she was married, or was in a matter of speaking it explained the small ring on her hand. Mayonaka whined slightly jumping up off the bed and walked slowly to the door. When he stopped, he looked back at her, and whined again.

"Better take him were he wants to go.." Celena jumped off the bed still in her little world. Skipping out the door, Aurora watched the blondish- white haired girl leave.

"Ah, the bliss of a sweet romance.." Aurora shook her head, taking a recording of Rei's heart rate. "Sometimes I wish I had brought some romance books to read to you. Some fantasy might just bring you away from mask you've created too." Sighing she stood up, and laid the notepad on the chair behind her. She looked over the woman laying in the bed, even in her sleep; she didn't lose the sense of a beast waiting to pounce. Or maybe it was all those years working with her that left that impression. Sighing again, she turned for the door. "Sleep tight, Specimen 0, I have a call to make."

* * *

Openly yawning, Jyle stretched slightly, watching one of the Vione's crew shout orders. Dilandau's arms were crossed in front of him impatiently waiting for him to continue. The sun had long since set passed the mountain range in the distance, leaving them to stand in the light produced from the hanger. From the corner of his eye, he could see all of the Dragonslayers up on the upper floor, watching them. Jyle could also see that two people were missing from the small group of boys. Dilandau's sister, Celena, who in the past had always proved to be entertaining at times, but more importantly someone he had been looking forward to getting a glance of, the project 009. Though, ever since they had stepped about the Vione, there had been an eerie sense of presences. He could see that his men were a bit jumpy because of it; it felt like dragon watching and waiting for the right moment to attack. In the far back of the Vione's hanger loomed the only evidence that she was even here, the black Isponal Guymelef. Jyle looked back at Dilandau, who had become aware that he had been looking behind him at the Guymelef; there were fine lines of anger forming on his forehead. His red eyes glistened with small flames that burned with in, becoming more fumed as the silent moments passed.

"I would think we should retire for the evening, Lord Dilandau.." Deamor suddenly said, ending the silence. Dilandau's silent flaring eyes looked from Jyle, who now wore a smirk, to the brown haired boy that stood next to him. "It will take another 17 hours for the Yuom'a to be unloaded, after all."

"O.." Jyle said looking up again at the Dragonslayers. "and unlike you men, who seem to find passing their time interesting in the hanger bay, ours have training in the morning."

"Jy-" Dilandau started to snarl, but was cut off by Deamor, who was thoughtfully looking up at the ceiling.

"And without Skylar being here, we can't plan our means of attack. He won't be here for another few days..." Deamor walked slowly past Dilandau making his way to one of the corridors, waving a hand in the air that signaled his men to move out. "It's best that we don't waste our energy arguing about it now wouldn't you say?"

"Agreed..." Jyle followed leaving Dilandau to stand alone in the hanger, watching the two of them leave. Both of them could feel the hatred that burned into their backs from the red eyed demon that watched them. One out of ear shot, Jyle took one last glance at the Dragonslayers as they began to disband from where they had been watching. "It seems they are going to follow us around more closely then last time, Deamor."

"O well.." his companion said wistfully, as the come around a corner. "She wasn't up there was she?"

"No... She could have decided not to join the others on the upper hanger floor. I doubt, with her reputation, that she cares about what happens to him.." Jyle dismissed any train of thought with the wave of his hand. "But she's here, didn't you see the Guymelef in the back on the hanger?"

"Seen it..." Deamor said, as he shivered involuntarily, "And felt it...."

* * *

The door opened as someone walked into the room. Folken didn't bother to open his eyes to see who it was. The small headache was troubling enough, maybe it he sat there with his eyes close the person would leave. The patter of claws against the metal floor echoed as something walked it. Its low whine of displeasement made him open his eyes a crack to look at the door. Standing in the hall way was a silhouette figure; bend a ways over the silhouette shadow of Rei's wolf.

"Shush, Mayo! You'll wake Folkie up!" Celena's voice playfully whispered. Mayonaka whined again before looking ahead into the room, and then walked slowly in, mixing in with the rest of the shadows. He closed his eyes again, hearing Celena begin to move about in the study. The door shut behind her as she stepped in, her foots steps echoed as she moved about. He listened to her moving about slowly, the echoing steps of her steal toed boots stopped behind him. For a moment there was the silence that he had been enjoying for a while before she came in. The nighttime breeze moved the curtains that hided the opened balcony. Her arms lightly wrapped around his shoulders, as she stood behind him. He could feel her warm breath on his check as she bent down slightly, Folken allowed his mind to slightly wander as he waited for Celena to 'wake him up'. Annoyed, she blew air into his ear. "Folken, I may be a bit dense, but I'm not that dense. I know you're awake...."

"And yet you yell at the wolf?" He said softly opening his eyes, and looked at her from a side glance. She just stuck out her tongue at him, and stood up again withdrawing her arms. He watched her was she walked around the room slowly, studying the books on the shelves as she past them. Mayonaka moved from his hiding place and walked to the door, whining. "Aren't you supposed to stay in your room unless accompanied by one of the other Dragonslayers? I know your brother dislikes the idea of you being by yourself with the other two generals walking around."

"Hush, Mayo!" Celena said, slightly ignoring Folken's question. Plopping down in the chair across from him, she set her feet up on the table smiling. "I'm not alone, Mayo is with me!"

"I don't think the wolf counts, Celena...." She just stuck her tongue out at him.

"I think Rei was training him to be an attack dog. He growled at one of the Demon Clan soldiers when we walked by him.. Scared the hell out of the boy he did!" She laughed to herself, leaning back in the chair. The wolf seemed to sigh to itself before it turned away from the door and walked over to him. He rested his head on Folken's lap, grey eyes pledging to be let out to the room. Using his claw had, Folken scratched the wolf behind the ears, without realizing it. The wolf's tongue just rolled out of its mouth as it patted, moving its head to the side to be scratched. "Anyways, I got tired of being in my room, all day with that lady-"

"Aurora.."

"All Aurora does is read to Rei or write stuff down.. And all Rei does is lay still in the bed, breathing!" Celena snored, dropping her legs down off the table and slumped down in the chair. "So I came up here to see what you were doing... That and Mayo wanted a walk.." The old grandfather clock that sat bad somewhere in the room struck ten, the chimes echoed in the small room covering up Celena's groan. "Ah, man! It's ten already......"

"You may want to start back to your room now, Celena... It's a pretty good chance your brother is going to have you up really early tomorrow..." Mumbling something to herself, Celena stood up and slowly walked to the door with her shoulders slumped. He watched her, half controlling a smile that played on the back of her lips as she looked down her shoulder and glared at the wolf, who had refused to leave from his spot to follow her out the door. With a final scratch on his white fur, Folken withdrew his hand so that the white wolf would go trotting after Celena, who was now standing in front of an open door. The grey eyes glared at him for a few moments, daring him for something. Amused at something Mayonaka just stood and walked to Celena. Turning his head to look at him, the wolf's tongue rolled out of his mouth periodically licking his lips before disappearing down the hall. Celena just rolled her eyes at it, before looking back at him.

"Night, night Folkie!" She blew him a kiss before the door shut behind her, leaving him alone once again in the darkness of the study.

* * *

"Are you sure?" Her voice carried out into the room, becoming absorbed by the shadows. She stared down at the metal floor not looking up at the screen in front of her. The light from it slightly illuminated the room, enough to make her shadowy figure noticeable. Pulling on her cloak that shielded her body from the light, she waited for the answer from the person on the other side of the screen.

"Yes ma'am..." Her blue eyes looked at the maid, who was looking questionability at her employer. Blond hair slightly falling out of its bun from the hard day's work, hazel eye glancing past the woman she was speaking to. "We have been trying to contact you for the past seven days..."

"Alright... I'll be returning on the Yuom'a in the morning. It shouldn't take me more then a few days to arrive in the city." Sighing deeply she turned away from the screen; she raised a hand over one of the three half pillars that where in the room. "Hold everything up until then."

"Ma'am.." The woman said again, before she could turn if off. Turning her head slightly looking through the red locks of hair that had fallen over her eyes; she fought off the need to glare at the poor woman. "What about the arrangements?"

"There in my office.. Send my daughter to get them.."

"Yes ma'am." The screen clicked off, and she was submerged in the shadows.

* * *

"Come on Mayo, in the room!" Celena called behind her walking into the darkness of her room. She could hear the patter of his claws against the metal floor, and the light disappeared as the door closed behind him. Finding her way in the darkness, she flopped down on her bed. Mindlessly kicking off her shoes, Celena pulled the covers of her bed around her. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could make out the other bed in the room, and the still figure that lay upon it. She could see the shadowy form of the wolf walking over to the bed, the 'clicking' of his claws echoed in the room. Sleep began to may her eyes heavy as she watched him; he whimpered lying down on the floor next to the bed. Celena rolled over in her bed, and began to in the darkness of sleep she missed as the fist bits of movement took place in the other bed. There was a low grasp of pain, Rei began to toss in her sleep; the nightmare began to cause her body to toss about as the old forgotten memories began resurface.

_(Dream)_

_Her sniffles were the only sound that moved around about echoing off the stone walls. She could hear the sound of water dripping off in the distance down the hall outside the steel bars that enclosed her. Alone and lost she buried her head into the light blue fabric of the dress she wore. It gave very little warmth for her in the cold room; if she stood the small thing would only go to her mid thighs. Not that she felt like standing, arms wrapped around her bare legs she shivered in the cold as she cried. There was a squeaking sound, someone opened up the door, but she didn't look up at the intruder. She could feel him moving towards her, looking down at her. Shivering involuntarily, she tried to control the sobs that left her lips._

_"Hey there... What are you crying about?" Her head snapped up at the unfamiliar voice, a voice filled with something she couldn't understand. Sapphire pools looked through blurred vision at a dark haired boy. Studying his face she was in 'A' over the unfamiliarity that had entered her cell. Small lips set of an evenly toned face; high check bone brought out his the golden set of eyes beneath the long strains of black hair. He knelt down in front of her and held out his hand to her. A human curiosity ended when the realization of danger worked its way into her battered mind. Scrambling away from him, on weak legs barely able to hold herself up, she moved to the wall farthest from him. Subsisting herself into the shadows that the torn light from the hall couldn't brake. His golden eyes watched her in surprise and question, she moved away from him. He didn't pull his hand back, but held it out a little more to her. "I won't hurt you.. Please come back out.."_

_She didn't move from her stop, her eyes studied him. There was a slight movement as he inched closer to the shadows where she hid, but once the inhuman hiss left her lips he stopped moving. He just looked at her, though the shadows for a while before withdrawing his hand. He looked about the small cell, eyes periodical coming back to her. His golden eyes finally settled on the broken jug in the corner near the door, next to it an over turned plate of food. They seemed to focus on a few moments she could feel some strange emotion wash off of him before his eyes looked to her. _

_"I don't like to eat that stuff either. You never know what they put into it..................Was that why you were crying?" He asked after a long silence. He turned towards her again, this time pulling something out of his large gray shirt that hung over his body, and rubbed it against his gray pants. Holding his hand out to her again, she could see the small purple ball in his hand and smell something sweet. Her stomach growled lowly in acknowledgement, she inched slightly forward then froze. He frowned a little when she stopped. He took the small thing, and bit into it. She watched him chew it slowly before swallowing, and then he held it out to her again. "See, there's nothing wrong with it.. If there was why would I eat it?"_

_She snatched out of his hands faster then he realized when his hand came even to her. Weak legs gave out from holding her up for so long, but she didn't care as she bit down savagely at the small thing. The juices ran down on to her hands, making them sticky, curling her legs under herself she turned to look at the boy, who was smiling slightly at her as he watched. In the back of her mind, she began to calculate escape plans if he tried anything, and habit that had been in forced on her to survive. But all he did was study her, seeming to try and figure something out._

_"You're a girl right? It's sort of hard to tell, they always have the younger ones with short hair... and dressed in long shirts like that.. Though you look to be the youngest I've ever seen here, you must be no more then three years old..." Her eyes blinked listening to him talk. He turned a bit and sat down next to her, with enough room so that she didn't feel threatened. His voice echoed about, he continued to talk, after it seemed to her that he was only talking to hear his own voice. Though oddly it seemed to convert her as slowed down her eating, the stick juices smeared all over her face. Then he looked over his shoulder at her, and smiled. "O, I haven't told you my name yet have it? It's Condse of project 002... You see I made it up myself sense I can't remember my really name. It's actually the word second with the letters scrambled around a bit.. I was getting tired of called specimen 2 you see..." He took His finger a word out the word 'second' on the dirt, then he his name out 'condse.' "I know it's silly but hey it's a name, being called by numbers makes us sound so 'inhuman'. What's your name?"_

_She looked at him questionably and she stopped chewing on the piece of fruit. This male seemed to be quiet talkative, his mouth seemed to be moving a lot, and some of what he said didn't make a whole lot of sense. A 'name', this wasn't something she could understand quite well. But something she was called by, that was the only thing from his lips that she could understand. She looked down at the purple disaster in her hands thinking. What was it she was referred to, called and she answered to it by moving? She moved her mouth to speak but could find her voice, throat to rasp from the crying._

_"I figured you couldn't speak..." He said after a moment, he hadn't been looking at her when her lips moved. He looked her over again, and frowned. Being so close to him now, she could see the small numbers etched onto his shirt, 2 of 002. He seemed to be search for something, but sighed in annoyance when he couldn't find it. "No even a number on you. Are you new here then? They haven't decided what cruel fate should lie before you?" She frowned at him annoyed and angered by the tone in his voice was something she recognized and hated, envy. Tossing what was left of the' purple sticky' (as she had so fondly named the thing) she moved her hand over the dirt in front of her. It stuck to her finger as she moved it about. She could feel his golden eyes burn into the dirt that she wrote on. Sitting back, she waited for him to read out what was written. "'Specimen 0 of 009, Project head: Kane.' So...your one of the first?"_

_(Jump in dream)_

_The thunder crashed somewhere out side, its light flashed through the small barred window, giving light into the dark room. She stood, afraid to move, staring at the wall on the far side of the room. A large said moved about, as it swung over its surface. The shadow of a body, suspended over the ground held up by a smaller shadow. Froze stiff she could bring herself to look up words, the small pitter-patter of water drowned out all other sounds. The sounds of shouts and the cell door opening was oblivious to her, she fist clenched to her sides. Someone grabbed her from behind, pulling her out of the stiff shock as she fought to be freed. _

_"Stop it you little rat!" The rough male voice yelled at her as she bit his hand. "Get it down!" Her sapphire pools looked up by accident away from the floor leave she had been looking from to the back of the room. With another flash of lightning she could see him. Swollen hand fell to the sides of the large blue shirt; black, unwashed hair fell around his face. It was the sight of that, that made her stomach turn over, and the animal like scream filled the area. His golden eyes seemed to-_

_(end)_

The crash of lighting filled the room, covering her scream as jolting up in the bed. Cold sweat covered her body. She shook uncontrollably, gasping for breath. Hands balled into fist on the white sheets, her eyes stared out across the room through the locks of hair that had fallen in front of her. Another crash of lightning caused her to nearly jump out of the bed, she cried out as the images in her made continued to replay themselves.

* * *

He heard the thunder crash outside his balcony as the door to his room shut behind him. Sighing heavily from exhaustion, Folken took off his cloak and laid it over the back of on to the wooden chairs in the room. He loosed the collar of his uniform, and look about his quarters. Someone had left a plate of cold meat cuts and a bowl of fruit on the table in front of him. The curtains were slightly pulled over the glass doors, somewhat blocking out the lights from the Yuom'a. The Vione had increased her altitude into the clouds, which where now creating quiet a thunder storm. Sighing, he looked at the plate of cold cut meat, and then to his bed. Stress and exhaustion won the small debate he held in his mind or a few seconds and he walked over to his bed. Sitting down, Folken worked off his boots half-mindedly when a small knock came on his door. The random thought of ignoring the person at the door ran across his mind until another crash of lightning echoed in the room. It could probably be Celena, frighten by the sound of thunder looking for a set of arms to shield her from the demons that ran in her mind, to afraid to bug her brother who was anger by the arrive of the two other Zaibach generals. Standing he walked to the door and punched in the code to unlock it. As it slide open he wasn't welcome by the sight of a frighten silverish-blond haired girl, but a red headed woman leaning against the door frame. The uniform jacket undone to revile the black shirt beneath it, her hair tossed about in a mess, and a red bottle of wine in one hand with two glasses in another.

"Aurora, what are you-" He started to say when her blue eyes looked up through the long bangs that covered them.

"You up for a drinking game? I don't think any of these kids could last me a good one... Well maybe Rei but she's out of commission for the awhile." She waved the glasses about a bit, she smiled at him slightly. "O doesn't give me that look...."

"It's late Aurora, what are you on Gaea-"

"I WANT to HAVE a DRINKING game... Is that a crime these days?" Her eyes sharpened a glare at him, a playful frown formed on her face. "Come on you old stiff, when's the last time you got drunk enough to knock the boots off the dead?" Shaking his head, he moved over and Aurora skipped in to the room, the door closed behind her. Neither of them noticing the figure hidden in the deep shadows of the Vione corridors as it submerged again in the shadows, disappearing.

* * *

Growling, Dilandau kicked the thing closest to him as he walked into his room. He threw his armored jacket onto the back of one of the chairs in the room, and tossed his red shirt to the floor. Falling on his bed, he worked angrily on his boots. Damn them, damn them all to hell; was the only though running though his mind as he envisioned burning Jyle and Deamor until there was nothing left. Sure, Dilandau hated working with other generals in an all off set, he could most of that time stand working with them. But, them two? The first thing that had always come onto this mind when ever one of their names were said, as to cut the person's head off that murmured their names. Rain began to fall against the balcony doors, making the sound echo inside his enclosed room. His mind was to busy planning Jyle and Deamor's deaths to notice it until the sound of lighting crashing rumbled his room. Surprise Dilandau nearly fell off the bed as he pulled off his last boot. Cursing himself for being too absorbed to notice the changes around him, he leaned back on the bed, leg still hanging over the edge. With the steady patter of the rain, Dilandau's mind began to drift slowly off to sleep, but before he could a low, small tapping at his door drew him back to the world. He slowly began to recognize the noise he heard, he slightly cursed. Celena was probably frightened again, over her fear of thunder that was likely. Rolling his eyes he walked slowly to the door and punched in the number into the padlock. Before he could hold out his hand to his 'sister' Dilandau froze for the girl standing at the door wasn't who he thought it would be, not in a million years. Standing out in the dark corridor with nothing more on then the white 'hospital' dress on, she stood with her arms wrapped around her body trying to control the shaking. The deep sapphire pools looked a little to the side of him, ashamed of standing there, yet to afraid to do otherwise.  
  
"Rei......."

* * *

**GA1:** _Falls dead on desk._  
  
**Dilandau:** _Pokes GA1 With a stick before looking at Rei_ I think she's dead....  
  
**Rei:** _shrugs _Her own fault for drinking to much coffee...


	16. Berseker's Kiss

_To Tame a Beast_

Right sorry for the long wait. There was a lot happening in the past few months that kept me distracted and away from writing...

A few things were editing. I went back and edited all of the chapters before this one. I deemed it was time that I did it, seeming this story has... two chapters and an epilogue left. (Yay) Another is that fact that I have a second story that I am helping to write.

I am the co writer for it, and seeming that I am writing this with a friend of my who does not have her own Escaflowne fic, its under her name. That time is 'There and Back again" by Spirit Dancer. Yes like some stories this is a 'put in our own characters into the old plot line' kind of thing. Yet, given that I am the one put in charge of plot line creation... Heh heh, it isn't gonna be no where near the same as the old plot line of Escaflowne. Sure it starts out similar, but that's because I cant start sudden plot changes until later.. So yea, if you like my creative plot changes, try it out and make my friend fell a bit more welcome in this side of the site (love yas Lys!)

Right enough about that ranting... Enjoy that chapter, its long! -.- more then I was planning but o well.. I'm making up for time!

* * *

Chpt. 15 _Berserker's Kiss_

The gentle morning breeze blew aside the curtains that covered the glass doors that lead out on to the balcony; the morning sunlight shimmered off the rain drops for the late night storm. There were the sweet songs of the small birds that could fly up onto the Vione, their normally smoothing songs, thought, where doing a number to Folken's massive headache. Even before he was fully awake he could feel the damn thing pounding in the back of his skull, he should make it a rule never to have drinking games with Aurora ever again. He had forgotten how good she was at cheating in card games; she could probable whip the floor with Dilandau if he ever played her. Opening his eyes slightly he stared down at the table where he had woken to find himself half sleeping on, which would probable explain the ache in his neck. There were a set of cards scattered about the table, long forgotten after a few hours of playing, the winner of the game Folken couldn't quiet remember and at the time didn't care to. For there amongst the discarded cards was an empty wine bottle facing towards the empty chair in front of him. O lord, they didn't play her deformed version of 'spin-the-bottle-of-truth-or-dare' did they? At that point he was a little happy that he couldn't remember much and a little grateful for the massive headache he had. Leaning back in the chair, he sort of tugged at his collar of the shirt that went under the uniform jacket he normal worn. Sometime during the night he must have taken it off the jacket. He could see Aurora's on the back of the other chair; he should have just told her 'good-night' and shut the damn door. But, then again, the last time he had done that, she wouldn't speak to him for months and at this point in time he knew that he couldn't take the chance of that happening again. Aurora had always been a valuable source of information for him. Back when he was working in the Black Towers, he could always count on her for a source of help, most of the time he would get to know things that he wasn't suppose to. If it hadn't been for Levine's, her first husband's, advice Folken might have done something erratically stupid to screw up the friendship that he had with her now.

Speaking of which, he turned his head slight, avoiding looking into any light source in hopes that he wouldn't make the hangover any worse, he looked to his bed. Tossed about in the covers, sleeping quiet soundly, was the familiar redheaded woman. Her black pants lay tossed at the end of the bed, indicating that he had probable been the first one to pass out. Folken resisted the need to kicking the side of the bed to wake her up. Aurora grumbled a bit in her sleep as she turned out in the bed so that she was facing him. For a few seconds he just glared at her waiting for her to wake up to her own hangover. Which didn't take long, one blue eye cracked open, look at him for a second, and then closed again as she rolled onto her back groaning.

"Morning wench...." He growled playful, as much as he could without making his headache worse. She laughed for a few seconds before she realized laughing wasn't the brightest of ideals, so instead she threw a pillow at him. Sitting up, she rubbed her forehead as the headache began to bother her.

"Wow... That's the most fun I've had in a while..." Aurora giggled slightly as she looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "Then again that's probably the most fun you've had in ages, eh you old stiff..?"

"I think there should be a rule that higher officials shouldn't partake in drinking games with you anymore..." Folken moaned as he stood up, swaying a bit on his feet before he could take a few even steps. Lord, his head hurt, he could hear the damn woman snickering behind him, but once the clock in his room chimed the time she fell out of the bed. The chime of the clock was enough to crack ones head open, well one with a hangover that is. If it didn't hurt him so much he would have been laughing at her as she cursed the thing, falling to the floor twisted in the blanket.

"God damn it Folken! Turn it off, turn it off!!!" She yelled over the chimes, but once it stroke seven, the clock stopped. Looking over his shoulder he could see Aurora lying on the floor, hands covering her ears, and giving him an evil glare. "You're trying to kill me aren't you, old stiff?!"

"A, sweet revenge.."

"Have you never learned, Folken, that revenge is never sweet?" He choose to ignore the remark, knowing that it would only bring them into another debate that would probable end with both their headaches becoming worse. Right at that moment he needed to wake himself up a little more. Flicking the light on to the bathroom, Folken turn on the cold water in the little sink and let his left hand underneath it. He cupped his hands together after a few seconds and splashed the water onto his face. Not only didn't this seem to wake him up a little more, but it kind of help with the massive pain pulsing against his forehead. He heard Aurora suddenly curse, and the sounds of her bumping in to things as she tries to get her pants on. He stares at the running water for a few more moments as he waits for the sound to stop. "Stupid, stupid!!"

"What's stupid?" Sighing, Folken stepped back out into the main chamber, looking at her as she tugged on her boots. The lines of curses could amaze anyone, if they knew all the languages the red head was cursing IN.

"It's seven!" One boot on, and she begins to dig around for the other.

"Yes... I'm pretty sure that it is seven, Aurora... We did have the damn clock chime seven headache increasing times..." Folken frowned as she watched her toss around the blanket looking in vain for her other boot. "Is there something going on that you o-so-caringly-forgot to tell me?"

"No, I did tell you..." She sat up suddenly on the floor in victory as she found her missing boot, and began the struggle again to get it on her foot. "But, after four bottles of wine, and nine shots of vodka I'm pretty sure you can't remember it though your headache. But, anyways, the Yuom'a leaves in two hours and I need to be on it..."

"You're leaving?" In her rush, Aurora pulled her hair up into a pony tail to keep it from falling into her face she looked at him for a moment; sadness etched its ugly face in her eyes for a second before disappearing.

"There are matters at home that have unfortunately come up at a bad time. My poor daughter hasn't a clue what to do... I'm sorry for leaving you so soon, but-"

"Family matters over rule my needs, I understand, but what's-"

"Ack!" Aurora cut him off from asking and grabbed her jacket off the back of the chair. "I've got to bet those idiots to my room before they start randomly moving stuff! I'll see you in the hanger, Folken!" She blew him a kiss before disappearing out the door. Folken frowned for a second as he watched her leave slightly from the fact he couldn't tell what was worse, her doing that, or Celena. Then again, he groaned as his head began to pulse again, his hangover was winning by a long shot.

* * *

He stared into the mirror, as his hand touched the dark lines beneath his eyes. Tiredness filled his reflection, as he continued to study it, ignoring the sound of running water as it moved over the hand still in the sink. Water dripped down from his silver hair as it hung down around his face, the water drops slide down pass his tired red eyes as they glared half open into the mirror. The water continued to move down his face and along his bare chest, he sighed from exhaustion that was clearly written a crossed his face. Dilandau turned off the sink and walked out from the bathroom. He stopped half through the doorway and half way into his bedroom to absorb it all. There amongst the twisted sheets on his bed laid the white hair woman sleeping peacefully. The crimson sheets fell over her tan bare legs, as they curled slightly beneath her. The white gown she wore was slight undone around her neck. Her chest rose and fell slowly for she was still in a deep sleep. Her long white hair scattered about and around her, gentle spread over the soft pillows. The perfect image of the aftermath of a lover's game.

He'd wished.

At least then he wouldn't mind being sleep deprived. He had spent the entire night calming her from nightmares that pledged her. Sometimes it would seem that he had calmed her out of one, and be able to start to fall back asleep himself when another one would start. Give or take, Dilandau had probable one hour's worth of sleep throughout the entire night, and not all together. Who ever knew one could have so many bad dreams in a single night? Hell, when he opened his door to see her there he had expected almost anything, for her to yell or something. But when he took a closer look at her eyes, he could see that she had been crying. Crying, that had been the last thing he would have thought of. Sure, he had handled Celena crying every now and then, but Rei? He had been half tempted to either wake up Folken or get his sister after awhile, when he was trying to calm her down.

Sighing, Dilandau turned his attention back to the task at hand, getting dressed. Even with the lack of sleep. He still had to go on through this day of hell, training for his men started in an hour. Then there would be that lovely little breakfast as the Vione's guests finally raise their asses out of bed, and finally fighting the entire day's urge to strangle the two other generals. Pulling out a red tank top from his dresser, Dilandau turned his attention to the closet, where his armor jacket was, along with his slacks, and combat boots. Oblivious to him, as he dressed, was the figure in the bed as she slowly sat up on the bed. Clenching her hands together in to fists, and then relaxing them, Rei took a moment before looking up at who she knew was only a little ways off.

_Why did I come here?_

_/Because you did.../_ Her mind prominently answered. Was it just her, or did her body fell like it had been missed used, and beaten the crap out of? Sighing, she tried to force herself to remember the last thing that had happened, but all she could come up with was jumping out of her Ispano onto the forest floor during that training section. Beyond that, everything was fuzzy, well minus the pain in her back. She had wakened up from her drifting sleep last night in a cool sweat from a dream she would normally not remember, but this time she had. In her mind, she could recall every detail of the dream, or well memory. Wrapping her arms around herself, Rei stared down at the red satin sheets around her. Why could she remember that? For the longest time she had suppressed that memory, no, all of the memories of him. Pressing her hands down hard on her shoulders she tried to control the shaking of her body. _I don't want to remember him; I don't want to remember... "_Condse....."

"Rei?" Dilandau's voice cut through her trail off thought. Snapping up her head in the direction of his voice, she found him standing next to the bed, almost completely dressed except for the armored jacket that was on the table. A blurred image of a memory of the last time she was in this room and the familiar sickness in her stomach. His red eyes looked at her worried, probable from the 'sick' look that had crossed her face. Recovering quickly, Rei moved to stand on the cold marble floor. The white medical grown fell down to her feet the scratchy material rubbing against her legs as she moved. The color was a stood out against her dark tanned skin, one of the main reason she didn't really like the color white. "Rei?"

Sighing, she turned to face the young male next to her. He still looked a little worried about her, but not as bad now that she was standing up. His silver white hair fell down around his face; without the small tiara he usually wore it fell down to his chin. It sort of made him look cute; her stomach turned at another thought that went passed her mind. The sudden need to throw up made her push down on her middle section and fall back on the bed. She felt horrible, inside and out. Why hadn't she noticed this when she wake up last night? Better yet....

"What the hell did you give me this time..." Rei mumbled under her breath, not thinking that Dilandau would hear it. Her own voice sounded strange to her, rasp, and dry. Closing her eyes, she stared at the back of her eye lids for a moment.

"He didn't give you anything, Nine.." Eyes flew back open and she sat up on the bed a little to fast, nearly emptying her already empty stomach. Her perfect sapphire pools stared into his rubies. There was a serious look in his face, as if he knew more then just what he said. It was like she had been unconscious for nearly a month and all hell had broken loose in the meant time.

"How did you....know..." The words stubble out of her mouth, the taste of bile on her tongue made her stop. Gods she felt sick. Dilandau sat down on the bed next to her, looking down at his hands. Was it her, or did he look sad about something? "Dilandau....what's going on?"

"You've been unconscious for the past few weeks. During that time Folken told Celena and I who you really are..."_009_. He left it hanging. How long did he hate being called by a number, was it not the same for her? Her, it seemed weird. For the pasted few days, Dilandau had actually been thinking what to say to this woman. The same woman not even six months ago he was willing to kill. Questions spun in his head, making it hard for him to speak again as he tried to short out each thought. For some reason they would all end with "Why didn't you come back for us?" Yes, she lived, and left them alone to suffer three more years of torture. She had left them, and here, now there seemed to be no remorse from her about it. It was something that had bothered him ever since he found out who she was. Folken was never able to give him a straight answer, and now with her sitting next to him, maybe now he could get what he had been waiting to know for days now. Dilandau looked at her again, finding that she was staring down at her hands that were slightly shaking. She didn't really seem to fix onto them, the sapphire pools seemed blurred a bit. "Rei......"

"Hn?" An old anger seemed to build behind his waiting word as she slowly looked up at him.

"Why didn't you come back for us? Why did you leave us to the Madoushis when you promised us that would help get us freed?!" He was practically yelling them, in the back of his mind now burned her betrayal of breaking her word. He could still see the short white hair girl standing beyond the bars of their cell, telling them of her plan. Rei just continued to look at him, as if she didn't understand a single word he had just said. This feed the anger he was already feeling towards her. He was about to yell at her some more when she suddenly, yet slowly stood up again. "Rei....?"

"I'm sorry Dilandau....." Her voice was low, and wavered as she spoke. Looking down at her bare feet, she turned away from him to look to the door. "But I'm not her..."

"What the hell do you mean you're not her?!"

"It's simple... 009 was the name of a child who died the day you tried to escape. For the following two years of my life, I was an empty, lifeless doll that moved at the commands given to me." Her head shook sadly. "I do not remember anything that happened before my first 'mission' when I was nine. I have no clue what promise I made you and your sister; those years are a blur of shaded shadows. The only reason I know that I made any attempt to free you two was the recording in my file... It does not go into much detail. I am sorry, but the little girl you did know died that day..." She left him sitting on the bed looking at her, bewildered by her words. Anger he felt towards her no longer existent, more or less replaced by the emotion of sympathy. His red eyes followed her as she walked to the door slowly, medical night grown flowing flimsily around her frame. The door slid open as she walked near it; half out the door Rei stopped and turned around to look at him. A sadness echoed in the normally empty sapphire pools, she watched him for a moment as he started down at his hands, his hair covering over most of his eyes. There was a slight tug at her cold, empty shell of a heart the Madoushis had left her with. The only reason Dilandau was seen as a failure in their eyes was because his emotion of being left alone. This same emotion that made him unbalanced. It was sort of funny to think it, even though he pushed his Dragonslayers away he feared to loose them. And yet, clouded by his owe fear; Dilandau could not see the loyalty his men held. For one could see that only death would tare those boys away from him. She wrapped her arms around herself as she looked out into the dark corridor of the Vione. _Was this why I feel this way towards him?_

"Dilandau...." Her voice was so low that he barely heard it. Titling his head up, Dilandau could see her standing between the door looking out into the darkness on the other side. Someone really needed to put lights in that corridor.

"Yes, Rei?" He responded after a long moment's silence. She looked at him for a second before shaking her head and walking out the door, leaving him alone in his room.

"Never mind..." The door shut, leaving her without a light as she walked down the hall, using her hands to find her way. The words that were left unsaid echoed in the darkness, haunting her.

_I failed you once, I will not again. You will never be alone..._

* * *

Celena ran down the corridor, careful not to hit anyone as she wheeled around another corner. She couldn't find Folken, and now she only had one opinion left, to find the ex-madoushi, Aurora. Rei wasn't in the room when she woke up; her bed was in a mess. Celena had found the door unlocked as she ran out it, something her brother had made sure she had remembered to lock it with both the White Fangs and the Demon Clan walking freely about the ship. The first thing she had ran into once out the door was two of the Demon Clan soldier 'standing' at the end of her corridor like nothing was out of the ordinary with them being there. It was dangers having Rei walking around the Vione in the state she would probable most likely be in. She had heard Folken and Aurora talking a few weeks ago, about the possibility that drugs in her system influenced her personality. If Rei was hostile with them, Celena didn't want to find out what she was like without them when she ran across one of these morons.

On top of that, Rei was probably walking around in nothing more then that flimsy medical gown, without any weapons to defend herself with. To make matters worse, she couldn't find any of the other Dragonslayers, they were all to busy making sure that the two visiting groups didn't do anything to the Vione. Growling she turned around corner, her long blondish gray hair fell out her face. Consciously she pushed it off over her shoulders. Maybe it was time she thought again cutting her hair and keeping it short.

_But Folken likes my hair long..._The childish complaint responded to the thought in her mind. Celena frowned as she came around another corner.

_Folken also thinks of me as a sergeant child..._

_Are you sure about that?_ Her mind asked her, as she sprinted down the hall, periodically wondering why the Vione HAD to have so many.

_No..._ Her response was as she came around the last corner, to see the open door to Aurora's room. At least she was there, unless the woman was stupid enough to leave her door unlocked, and one of the White Fang or even one of the Demon Clan soldiers were messing around with chemicals. That was a lovely thought, a chemical explosion in the center of the Vione that would not be a very nice thing.

THUD! The sound echoed in the hall as a man in his late thirties in a white uniform half stepped out in the hall, and half dropped the end of a large chest he was carrying. Celena skidded to a stop a few meters away as Aurora's voice followed the sound.

"Be CAREFUL with that! Morons, what it there were chemicals in that chest; we'd all be dead right now!" The man mumbled apologizes as he picked up the end of the chest again. It took her a moment to recognize the uniform the man wore belonged to, the transport ship Yuom'a. Celena waited impatiencely for the man and his partner to move the large chest out of the door way and down the hall, so that she could move into the room. Curiosity was something she was not unfamiliar with, and with the moving out of her things by a Yuom'a crew member that curiosity was renewed. This, unfortunately, made her forget why she had come running all this way to get her. Celena found Aurora standing in the small bed room to the left of the main sitting room, careful sorting through the last of her things as she placed them into a small black bag that was on the neatly made bed. These were the quest chambers; that came with a sitting room furnished with chairs, a table and a small couch. It also came with a private bath, which was much like the one in her owe room. This one was one of the less nicer ones on the Vione, Celena was curious why Folken had set his 'friend' up in this one, when she first found out what room she was placed in, and not in one of the really fancy ones. Folken had kindly answered, with a half chuckle, that Aurora would have had his head for putting her there, and use it to scare off children during the Harvest Moon Celebration. She didn't get the joke, for that holiday was a celebration for the harvest and had nothing to do with human heads. There was a long drawn out sigh as Aurora zipped the bag shut, she seemed a little sad about something, and was total oblivious to Celena. For a moment she didn't move, but continued to stare down at the small back before letting out another sigh, this time shorter, and turned to walk out of the room. She froze when she saw the blondish gray teenager standing out in the sitting room, but only for a second, as she smiled at her like nothing was wrong. "Well, good morning, Celena, come to see me off?"

"See you off?" She cocked her head to the sided, as she watched Aurora walked out towards her, holding onto the straps of the black bag.

"Yes, see me off, as in escorting me down to Hanger 4 to board the Yuom'a." She continued to smile as if nothing was wrong, and rested her hand on Celena's right should, turning her towards the door.

"What?! You're leaving?"

"O, don't be so surprised my dear Celena.." Aurora waved her free hand in the air as the two of them walked out the door into the dark corridor. "Almost three weeks ago you were almost pushing me out the door."

"Yea, but that's different!" She responded as the door slid shut behind them.

_I didn't like you then, ex-madoushi, but I do now..._

* * *

He walked out slowly onto the cat walk. The pain in his forehead had finally eased a bit, and was now being replaced by another headache. Down below, Folken could hear the crew members of the Yuom'a yelling as the transport made its last checks before it departed. Taking with it Aurora, who suddenly need to leave, for what was oblivious to him. If she had told him last night, he probable wasn't going to remember it through his hangover. She was down on the level floor talking to Celena, who seemed a bit sad by the woman's sudden departure as well. For the last few weeks, even though Celena refused to hear it, the younger girl seemed to grow attached to the redheaded woman. Though, most of the conversations the two would, he had found, were mostly about him. One of the many disadvantages with her being her, Aurora, even for her age, love to talk. Celena, on the other hand, had always been trying to learn more about his past.

Luckily, Aurora had told him, she had not spoken about anything past the year she had meet him. Folken's heritage would remand in the dark, just where he preferred to have it. Aurora looked up at him as he stopped on the cat walk. A childish smile crossed her face as she looked up at him. Even for her age, she was just a child at heart. The blondish gray haired girl next to her was looking out onto the transport ship. The Yuom'a was making its last preparations now.

"Folken! If you need anything don't forget to give me a call!" Sighing he stood closer to the edge of the catwalk to see her better as she turned to head for the Yuom'a. "She's going to be more of a hand full then ever now!"

"Yes..." _I noticed. _Walking down the upper corridors, making his way down to the hangers, Folken had run into a wonder Rei. Disoriented, and half lost, she didn't seem much of herself. Then again, she also was trying to say as far from him as she could minister in the small corridors. Leaving her locked for her own safety in his study, Folken had planned on asking Aurora to look her over after he went to the hangers. But, unfortunately, as he remembered why he was going there, that he would have to see to it himself. Though he would not take the risk of letting Rei find her own way to the room she shared. Walking less then twenty feet out of his own room her had run into the Demon Clan general, Deamor J'Lona. He did not need him or his companion, Jyle, running across Rei at least not in the state of mind she was in.

"O, Folkie! Sound more enthusiastic about it!" Nearly choking himself from almost swallowing his tongue as Aurora used Celena's nickname for him. Was she trying to kill him or just encourage the teenager? He was hoping it wasn't the later. Folken watched as the redheaded woman hugged the Blondish gray haired teenager. She seemed to watch long enough before letting go to whisper something in her ear. As she released the embrace she looked back up at him again, and waved with a childish smile on her face. "See you later Folken!"

* * *

_Blue 17th _

_It has been two days since Rei has come out of her coma like state. I do not know at this moment of letting Dilandau talk me out of giving her the drugs was a very good idea. Her mood and personality has changed dramatically. Instead of not answer orders without some sort of resistance, she answers without it. Rei has also become shy and timid around not only me, but Dilandau and the male slayers. On top of that Celena has reported to me that she is having trouble sleeping. Most of her nights are spent tossing and turning in her sleep. Celena has also told me that she wakes up either in a cold sweat or crying. This mood swings are noted in Kane's writings, and I dislike were it maybe leading, Rei's memories are slowly slipping through the barrier of drugs that once in her system. With each day passing, the contains of these are being diluted and run out of her system. I am no sure whether or not to break my word to Dilandau and give just this one._

_If she suffers from a relapse, I am afraid that the Vione may not be left in one piece. I am also afraid to have her train with the other slayers. If her blood pressure rises to high, it to may also trigger a change, something I can not allow to happen with her in this condition. On top of that, I fear even more if one of Jyle's or even Deamor's men change her. Cocky as they might be, I do not think they would listen if I have the fight stopped. Dilandau is not too happy about me keeping him from having Rei work with the others. He wants to use her in the final attack against the Celtic. But, how to I tell the boy he might push her over the cliff, and end up having his head severed? Even though I have told him and his sister about 009, I have not told them what her project was on. And as long as I can, I will not. The madoushis will already want MY head for telling the two of them, and if they decided to, I do not want a lot of the two's memories blocked out. Nor the slayers, I have kept them from the Madoushis hands long enough, even though they know of their commander's and his sisters past and the madoushis did not want that._

_Not that it matters at the moment. Without Aurora's extra set of hands, things for me are being coming strenuous. I do not think I have had a decent nights rest for some time now, and its strain is starting to catch up to me. Maybe after this has settled a bit, I should look in to getting vacation time? I haven't had one in, what...ten years? Maybe Aurora is right..._

* * *

Dilandau leaned back in the throne-ish like chair, was he watched his men. They were working hard out on the training floor, even though it was much earlier in the morning then what they were use to. The elite would train during this time, and later in the day Dilandau would work his others. Celena was sitting down on the steps a little ways away from him, not to far from her was Rei. They two of them had not spoken much since the incited in his room, and when he did the conversation was very short. Celena on the other hand, would hold a one ended conversation with the woman. Rei had be oddly quiet around everyone, along with sort of skittish. Mayonaka was laying on the step next to his master, tail slowly tossing about as Rei scratched his head. Oddly, Dilandau sighed as he looked back at his med, he wished that he was in the damn white wolf's place. There was a loud 'BANG' that drew his attention away from the thought along with looking at his men. Laughing and talking loudly, the Demon Clan and the White Fang soldiers walked into the training grounds. Following there smirking commanders as the sighted the Dragonslayers along with Dilandau sitting not to far from them. Was it him, or just his imagination tat Jyle's smirk deepened when he saw Rei?

"Alright Kiddies! Get off the floor so that the real soldiers can train!" Jyle's annoying voice rang through the room, followed by the snickers of his men. Dilandau growled in annoyance as the group responsible for his anger walked into, sort of pushing the Dragonslayers closer to the commander as if to protect him from any possible attack.

"Unfortunately for you, Jyle, the only real soldiers have been training for the past hour and a half." Resting his head in his left hand, Dilandau watched the smirk on Jyle's face grow even more. One would have to be pretty stupid not to know what was coming next. "I have the training rooms reserved for another two hours... Your mean can use the damn hanger floors if you in such a rush today to get nowhere with your men's skills."

"Now, now, Dilandau.." Deamor waved his hand in the air to dismiss the insult. "In two hours we all have to run through battle simulations in the Melefs to make sure they are all in running condition. Though, we all need to be well warmed up before that task, and since there is only this one training floor on the Vione, I propose that we hold a contest!"

"What a good idea Deamor, and since your men are already warmed up we can get this started without having to wait an hour for your little boys to get ready to have their asses kicked.." Jyle added on, if this was a rehearsed take on at this damn game, Dilandau wouldn't be surprised. Hock, bait and sinker, both of the morons knew he wouldn't tolerate the insults thrown at his men. This little 'game' would go on until someone walked end and ordered it stopped, most of the time it had been Skylar. This was normal a game played on the day he would arrive. But dumb and dumber had this all set a day early. Something was going on here.

"What does the winner get?" Dilandau sighed, might as well just get this over with.

"First dibs on the battle. Loser gets to do all the clean up work." Deamor smiled at Jyle who frowned at him. _A, a little back stabbing eh? Finally coming out of his shadow little chicken boy?_

"Fine... Shesta, you're up first!" These little battles were quick and simple. They were always battles fought in threes. As Shesta took the floor, carefully drawing his sword, Dilandau watched as the one of the larger men of Deamor's step up onto the mats. Compared to him, Shesta looked like an ant going against a bear. All of his men were youthful, ranging in his age range. Where as some of Jyle's and Deamor's men were mostly far older then them. This grizzly of a man wielded a broadsword. Next up was the scrawny twin knife fighter that was one of Jyle's few men that were actually good in Dilandau's opinion. Scrawny and ragged looking that this one might be, he had seen this one enough times to know that he was quiet fast. He and the grizzly man were not new faces to Dilandau; they were one of the few of the two general's men that had lasted out through the years of the two mistakes in battle.

The two men, clearly smirking as they looked down at their small prey, seemed to make this fight unbalance. Shesta, though, not intimidated by them, simply spun his sword in the air, a trick learned during some long ago campaign. This little set up didn't last long; soon Shesta had the two down with first blood on both. Gatty was yup next, but this victory was lost to Jyle on a cheap move. This little 'game' continued for a while, until it ended up with there being a draw. They were all even, and Jyle and Deamor where finish with the run through of their men. The two had fewer men under their command all together then Dilandau had in his elite. With a draw, Dilandau growled as he leaned back in his throne-ish chair, there would be a finally match. The two general was given time to think what men to send out onto the mats, while Dilandau was left to wonder who of his last three to send out. He had Miguel, the logical choice one that he would not normally hesitate to take. But, throughout the training session before this the boy had been favoring his left hand. Not doubtful that had been injured during last nights little drawl in the halls between him and a White Fang. Then there was his sister, a choice he would only make if he liked the look of the odds she was set against. Overprotective? _Maybe a little... Alright a lot..._ Dilandau sighed as he looked at his sister, who was still laughing at Gatty for his lost to a simple cheating trick. Not that he doubted his 'siblings' skills, it was just he didn't wish to put her into harms way. Slowly he looked to the last choice he had, Rei was slumped back not to far from him, her eyes half close as Mayonaka lay asleep next to her.

Folken had strictly told him that she was not to be put through any training or combat situations. So, for the past few days the woman had been either sleeping (which was what she seemed to spend most of her day doing), spending time with Folken in his study, or watching the other's train. No matter how much he wanted her to go out on that mat would matter nothing. The blue hair baka would not take an excuse as a good one to put her in a battle situation. Dilandau understood the reasoning, well mostly. Even though she had been asleep for almost a month, Rei hadn't recovered from whatever had happened. Most of the event had been a bit blurred for him after she let go of him in the air. And her conduction he had originally had seen her in left evidence of a pretty good fall. There where hoots on the floor that drew his attention away from the half sleeping woman to the mats. The grizzly bear that Shesta had face was on stepping out again. Deamor grinning like the heavens had given him the power to control the fate of the world with this one overgrown man. This time, instead of wielding a broadsword, this man held an ax. Yup, Celena was defiantly out of the pick. The short, muscular twin blades man of Jyle's took to the floor next. This one had beaten Gatty only a while ago, and how was whirling his twin daggers looking at his grizzly appoint. Hell, there was no way Miguel was going to win this. To defeat this two he would need his left hand, which unfortunately injured at the moment. With a low growl, Dilandau buried his face into his hand with annoyance. There was no way he was going to win this, and he wasn't about to let one of this two moron's best him at this game. He had never lost the few that he had between the two, and he wasn't going to start now.

"Come on Dilandau! We haven't all day!" Jyle yelled as he leaned back against the wall, half grinning to himself at some little secret. "All of us are supposed to be down in the hanger bay in thirty you know. Send out your last boy! Or even your sister and let's get this over with!" Miguel moved at his left, seeming to know that he was to be the last victim in this game with no away out. Each one of his slayers could only go once, and they all knew well enough that Dilandau would not endanger his sister. Opening his ruby eyes, he nodded at Miguel to go on. Drawling his dagger from his belt, the brownish redhead started for the mats but stopped at a low pitched growl of a wolf. Heads snapped to the direction where Rei sat, or well was now slowly standing. Mayonaka's head was half risen, watching his mistress as she stood up and walked over to Miguel. Startled, he didn't refuse her his dagger and sword as she took them from him.

"Rei, what..." was all Dilandau could get out as he over came the sudden shock of her taking his weapons. She looked at him for a moment with a solemn look on her face before looking back over to the two on the mats. With a shrug, she stepped onto them. This, of course sent the men of the Demon Clan and the White Fangs in to a riot of loud voices.

"A woman?!" Deamor's voice come over his men's as he looked at Dilandau, with a smirk that he urged to whip off of his face. "Have your men become so bad that you have to hided behind some small little girl? Why no send out your sister instead, at least she can put up a decent show when she is bested!" THUD! The room fell silent at the sound of the dagger as it hit the wall right next to Deamor's head, embedding itself into the stone wall. He stood froze to the spot, some of the brown locks of hair fell to the floor, along with a few drips of blood.

"Darn.... I missed...." Was the only thing that came out of her mouth as she looked at him, what she was aiming for, was left for the imagination. His head, was what Dilandau was hoping for, though. She turned back to her two appoints on the mats, and twirled the sword in her hand. It would now be her only weapon, since she no longer had the dagger. The two moved away from each other to in circle her.

"Don't think we're going to go easy on you, little girl.." The White Fang growled as he spun his blades one last time before taking his first stands. The grizzly man swung his ax once before looks down at the white haired woman.

"And don't think you'll get away with that shot at my lord..." Rei just flicked her braid off her shoulder and crouched down slightly.

"Begin!" Someone shouted, and the twin blades men and the grizzly both took swings at the girl in between them. Rei fell flat onto the floor as the ax swung past her head, a move the grizzly man was not counting on, as he lost his balance an stumbled. Neither had the twin blade, whose attack missed its target and glazed the ax. His dagger went flying as he tried to retake his stands, but it was far too late for that. The second the ax whizzed past her head, Rei jumped back in to her crouch, and swung out kick in to his groin. The man dropped his other dagger, making mistake number two. Half in a defense crouch from the sudden pain, he didn't have time to move as Rei glazed Miguel's sword a crossed his open arms. Right after that, he went falling into the Demon Clan soldiers as she finished her movement of kicks. No one spoke, for the twin blades man was now unconscious, and the round when to the 'little girl'. Dilandau was on the edge of his set; how he had forgotten how interesting it was to Rei execute patterns of movements like that. The grizzly man looked nervously at Deamor, who was now frowning slightly. Dilandau didn't see the glance shot between the two other generals, as Jyle nodded to Deamor, a signal to began some trap they had set up.

Grizzly took to he mats again, holding his ax in front of him. Rei on the other hand, as she stood up completely looked to him and then to Miguel's sword before frowning. Without a second thought, she tossed it to the side, and off the mat.

"What the? Pick up your weapon girl!" Grizzly bellowed at her. "I wont fight you without a weapon..."

"Alright..." She answered smoothly, as she knelt down again, pulling two short throwing dagger's from her boots.

"The sword girl, those will do nothing against an ax!" Rei, just ignored the bellowing Grizzly and looked at the slayers. Dilandau frowned slightly as her glaze moved over all of them before settling on the white wolf that was now next to Celena. A high pitched whistle sent the wolf running onto the mats. He took his place behind her, teeth bared at Grizzly.

"My weapons..." He just growled at her, as she mimicked the twin blades man's stances. Mayonaka put his head down closer to the ground as he came slightly around to her right side. Grizzly didn't wait for someone to announce the battle, as he let out a battle cry and charged at her. Again, Rei waited until the last moment.

"Sept--!" Her voice rang out as she jumped to the right; Mayonaka took to the left in the same movement. After coming out of his failed run, Grizzly looked at Rei for a moment before looking to the wolf. He didn't have enough time to ponder on what she was doing, when Rei came at him with her throwing knifes, using them as daggers. He moved to counter her with his ax, which set them into a nice little lock of weapons. "Huit!"

The whole room watched in 'aw' as Mayonaka rammed his body into the back of Grizzly's legs, knocking him off balance. One would have to be pretty stupid not to know what was going on; Rei was commanding the white wolf's attacks. Grizzly fell to his knees from the attack; she jumped out of his reach as he fell. With a thud, he hit the mats, his ax flying across the mat. Mayonaka jumped back again out of reach, as Rei circled around him. Grizzly wasted no time getting back on his feet, before she could finish. Drawling from his belt, a foot long dagger as he glared at the woman circling him.

"Bitch!" He took at her again, with his smaller weapon, moving as she had only a little while ago. Rei moved to block his attacks, taking on defense. But, in the first few moves she lost one of her throwing knifes, and soon was trying to find a way to back the man off of her. The struggle went of for a few more moments before the man back handed her with his free hand. Rei fell to the mats. Before she had a chance to roll out from under him, Grizzly slammed one of his large feet on to her legs. A small out cry from the sudden pain was all that was needed to send Mayonaka into an attack frenzy of his own. Before Grizzly had time to realize it, Mayonaka took to his arms, biting down on him hard enough to crack the bone. With a shout of pain, he flung his arm out, sending the loyal white wolf flying across the training room into a stone wall. There was an old pitched whine from him as he slide down onto the floor, and did not move. No one moved, well not any of the Dragonslayers except for Celena who came to her feet when the white wolf hit the wall with a dreaded sound. Dilandau soon found that he too was standing.

The look on Rei's face was enough to send the living to their graves without a second thought. Grizzly had little time for his cheap victory, for now that he was not holding Rei's legs down. She was up in a matter of moments, two new throwing knifes in her hands. Deamor's man didn't even have the slightest of chances, as she began to make easy work of him. Slicing him here and there with her knifes. The match had been won with the first lick of blood she drew, but she didn't care to stop. Rei continued the assault even when Grizzly yelled for her to stop. When the realization of what was happening hit the general's minds, Grizzly was already well torn.

"Dilandau! Stop her before she kills my man!" Deamor yelled, his men, and he to afraid to stop the fight themselves. Jyle didn't do anything as well, but he looked a little more interested in what was going on then worried about his 'friend's' man. Shesta and Gatty drew their sword, and looked to Dilandau. None of them knew how to proceed to stop her. How do you stop an anger, momentarily berserk woman whose pet might have just been killed by this grizzly of a man?

"Rei!" A sharp, commanding voice echoed in the training room. A voice that could not belong to none other, the Lord Folken himself, looking to his right Dilandau could see his cloaked figure knelt down to the 'dead' Mayonaka on the floor. His flesh had pressed slightly against his neck. Rei, seized her attack, jumping back out of Grizzly's reach. This wouldn't have mattered, once she was off of him, he fell to the floor in a pull of blood that poured down from his wounds. The rise and fall of her chest was uneven, as she took each breath, it looked like she was trying to restrain herself from whatever it was she tried to do with Grizzly. Folken studied her for a moment before turning his attention to the dead wolf. He frowned slightly, as he ran his hand down the well known soft coat of white fur. There was a small cry from Celena was she watched, not welling to believe what was happening. Her face fell into her hand's trying to prevent or maybe hide the tears that would be coming. Miguel moved to comfort her. Dilandau's ruby eyes pulled away long enough to look at Rei. Her emotional features were enough to make anyone's heart rip apart. Who could ever think a woman that had been well emotionally kept could look like she did now? Not able to look at her anymore, his glaze turned back to Folken, as he continued to move his hand back and forth.

"What are you doing.....?" was the only words he could whisper out to no one but himself. Quietly confused to what the man was doing. It was already clear the creature was....dead. Folken stopped, and lifted his hand off the coat of the white wolf.

Mayonaka.....moved.

* * *

He walked out onto the hanger floor. Slowly making his way a crossed it. Technicians moved about quickly, some yelling orders back and forth as the others tried to carry them out as fastly as they could. Guymelefs were moving about this floor. One had to bee careful not to step out under one as it moved. Though, none of the metal Guymelefs were in this part of the hanger. This was where one pacific one has held, for it didn't react well with the others. It's black shell made many of the techs unsettled having to work to close to it. Not that he could blame them. This thing had been here for a good month now, and he still woke some times in the night covered in cold sweat from the uneased nightmares it brought. He had his blood line to thank for those, if his family hadn't been bound to its own Isponal maybe then it wouldn't have had such an effect on him. The target he was looking for was standing at the base of the stairs to its cockpit. Arms crossed in front on her as she looked up at it.

"You don't have to go out in it.. I rather that you didn't.." Rei looked at him, and frowned. Folken could see that she was still slightly shaken up from this mornings experience. Jyle and Deamor had gotten an ear full from him about starting that little game. Then, privately, Dilandau had gotten his own about disobeying orders. Rei, though, had insisted on being allowed to go out on the Melef testing run. "Rei, please reconsider this. You aren't recovered enough for this.."

"When will I ever be?" Was the only answer he got before she looked back to the dark creature before her. There was a long drawn out sigh. "Is....he alright?"

"More or less... He's in a state of shock, he'll pull through fine.." Folken didn't add that Deamor's man was in critical care, nor that what they had all witnessed on the training mats was a preamp to her going over the edge. There was no need to raise worry if he was wrong. She looked over at him; there was a small smile of appreciation on her face before she walked up the stairs to her Guymelef.

"Thank you....."

* * *

"Get her out!" Dilandau yelled at the technicians at the top of his lungs, as he practically jumped out of the Alseides before it was completely set down. There where whistles going off, people running about the hanger floor in a complete frenzy. Why the hell hadn't he just listen to Folken and not let her go out with them? His eyes looked over at the two crumbled and damaged black Melefs that were brought it. The medical teams ran to them to hopefully save what was left of their pilots. Everything had been going fine the first hour or so of the Melef testing. The three generals had broken off into separate a group, which was fine with him, the further away the where from him the better. Because of his own uneasiness he had kept an eye on Rei during the whole thing, only taking his eyes off her for a moment to instructed Celena in something. That second's miss was just enough....for two of Deamor's men to attack Rei in the air.

The assault was not some training excesses for them; the two men were actually trying to kill her. Whether this was something Deamor had planned himself, or not, wouldn't be very clear. For before Dilandau could even react, Deamor's voice in a frustrated tone was screaming over the com system on all chancels for the two to back off and stop. His commands where clearly ignored. Over the startled shock of the unpredicted assault, Dilandau moved the Alseides to stop this attack on his own, when it happened. Rei's Guymelef left out the most chilling and nightmare giving roar as it tore one of the black melefs arms off. Sure an Isponal Guymelef tearing things apart wasn't weird, and maybe not that by the way it started to move about as it tore the two attacks to bit. But the roar might haunt him in his sleep for a long time. It had taken Dilandau, Deamor, and Jyle (how showed up at the shouts Deamor yelled over the com fanatically) to break Rei off of her own attacks as the two Demon Clan soldiers tried to escape from her counter assault. Rei was not responding to Dilandau's commands at all.

Now here they were, Rei trapped inside of her guymelef, all he could hear over the com system the enter time back to the Vione (her Isponal had changed back from its dragon form in to its normal Guymelef form and had to be carried) was heavy breathing. Pushing pass the techs, he made his way to he knelt down Guymelef. In the corner of his eye he could see Folken making his way down the catwalks. Dilandau paid him little mind as he saw Rei's cockpit open and her tumble out onto the floor. Or well, more like fall out onto the floor. He speed up, not bothering to listen to the sudden shout that came from Folken. Falling to his knees next to her, taking a moment to examine her injuries. The cuts on her arms and legs were identical to those on her Guymelef. There was not a whole lot of blood, but the slight reminder of how much she had lost less then a month ago was still fresh in his mind. Slowly turning her onto her back, Dilandau studied her pain stricken face, eyes closed tight.

"Dilandau don't!" Folken's voice came again, but not fast enough as his hand touched the side of her face. Her eyes shot open, and fixed on him. Had Dilandau never known fear, then that would have been his first experience with it. If a Demon was what he was called, then Rei must be a saint, for the once cold sapphire eyes was coved in blood red. There was no defined pupil, no whites of the eyes, just a solid blood red, and they where fixed on him.

"Rei.....?" By the gods he should have listen to Folken, he should have never allowed her to come out with them. Hell, he should never allowed her to fight in any battles! May the gods protect the madoushis if he never saw them again for what they had done. Dilandau had been a blind fool when he never asked Folken what she was, thinking she was like him and Celena. For now, as she sunk her hands onto his throat, pushing him down onto the ground to use her own weight to keep him there, he knew better. Fate Alteration could go to hell, the madoushis had perfected a berserker! He couldn't fight her off; the lack of air was getting to him. Black stops filled his vision as fear took hold of him; the madwoman straddled over him had one thing on its mind. Kill. There was a sudden rush of air as Rei suddenly fell limp against him, why he wasn't so sure off. She was pulled off of him as he coughed wildly for air, and someone sat him up a bit to pound his back. Once the spots in his vision where gone he look to the one holding him up. Miguel was next to him, redhead visibly worried about his commander. His sword lying out next to him, blood slight tainted the Holt. His head snapped around to look at the now hopefully unconscious Rei, to find Folken knelt down next to her, removing the small needle that was in the index claw from her next. "What.. The hell do you think... you're doing?!"

"I have to Dilandau... If she is not sedated, her blood pressure will not return back to normal..." Folken frowned, but the red eyed boy didn't care as he half-heartily shoved Miguel away and stood up on his own to take a few unsteadily steps before getting his footing back.

"I don't give a damn; I told you no more drugs!" Folken did not deny the right, as he picked Rei's limp body up to walk out of the hanger floor. It didn't matter now, they knew what she was. It wouldn't be long before the Madoushis found out too.

* * *

_What am I going to do now?_ Was the only thing that Dilandau could think off, as he leaned back in the wooden chair to look at his bed were she lay. A berserker, what the hell had the madoushi, hell Empire Dornkirk, been thinking? He rested his head into one as his hands, his neck hurt. He could see the bruises starting to form around it; she had meant to kill him. The thought the startling, and yet not a surprise. Wouldn't she? After all he had done? That night in Anomic, while in his room struggling with that knife, she had meant to kill him then too. What a moron he had been, a berserker, it explained it all. Her attitude, under unwillingness to orders, and the way she acted around them all. By the gods, how stupid could he be? There was a groan from the bed, drawling his eyes up to her. Her right hand rested on her forehead, Dilandau sat up in the chair now watching her.

"Rei....?" Was she back to normal now? Or would she jump out of that bed to kill him?

_"A number..."_ Neither it seemed, but that wasn't her voice. It sounded slightly different, slightly... She turned her head to look at him, the chill from the hanger crept down his spine. Blood shot eyes, the whites had not returned, but there was some sapphire beneath it. _"A number is my name..." _

"Rei? I don't-" Dilandau stated to say, when she looked away from him to stare up into her hand.

_"Zero, nothing... That is my name... Rei... Is just a pretty way of saying it." _There was a long sigh, as she dropped her hand back onto the bed to look up at the ceiling. She was ignoring him; tears began to trickle down her cheeks. _"A number, a brand on my life, my worth, is a simple number... I can not be like you... Condse.." _She rolled onto her side, this time looking at him. _"Yet, you have a name. Does that make you free? Or does a name brand you as well? Does the pain stop when 'they' given you a name?"_

"You have a name..." Was the only thing he could find to say, she wasn't making since. Had the drug Folken given her done this to her mind, scrambled it? Her eyes focused on him for a moment before frowning.

_"Zero, nothing, Rei... How is that a name?"_ Pain flashed a crossed her face, as she rolled back onto her back. A few more tears rolled down, as she closed her eyes. _"Is there an end to the beginning, or is there only one way out?"_ He opened his mouth to ask her what she meant, but it seemed that he would not get to ask the timid beast what it was wondering as Celena open the door to his room. Her eyes looked worried to him before glazing at the now what look to be sleeping Rei before back to him.

"Skylar just docked...."

* * *

"Dilandau!" The tall blond yelled as he made his way down the steps from his dark brown guymelef. He stood at the bottom waiting for him to make his way down, outside; the sun began its slow setting against the far mountains. Skylar's hazel eyes seemed to be laughing at him, like they always did. He ruffled his hair before opening his arms so that Celena could jump into them. A bear hug was customary for Celena, be it for Dilandau, Skylar, and even though the thought slightly disliked at some times, Folken. "Sorry for taking so long. Took a while to get all that supplies onto the Roseau.. Did you have fun with Deamor and Jyle?"

"It was thrilling...."Dilandau evened out his hair out again, mind sort of still back in his room with the sleeping Rei. Or well what he hoped to be a sleeping Rei. Skylar said a few things to Celena that made her laugh, her hair slightly ruffled as well. The smile on his face disappeared when he saw Rei's Guymelef. The techs had already started repairs, and would have it done in a few hours. But that slight frown on his old friend's face was no something he through could happen. Did he know of Rei as well? The question began to whirl in his mind along with a few others.

"Causing trouble again I see...." He shook his head and looked to his left. "How many this time?"

"Two so far.... The third might make it yet..." Folken's voice answered, both Celena and Dilandau looked at him, slightly wondering where he had come from. "I'm sure Dilandau will be more careful with her from now on...."

"I'm a feared that won't be necessary Strategoes...." Three heads snapped in the direction of this new voice, as a dark haired man, the looked to be in his late twenties stood three steps up from the hanger floor. The uniform he wore was not one that Dilandau recognized, but from the shocked expression that flashed pasted Folken's at least one of them new who this man was. There was a thin frown on Skylar's face.

"I thought I told you to stay up there until I called you down, 'Special Forces' commander Kale..." Skylar crossed his arms as the man stepped down onto the floor. He towered over Dilandau, and seemed to be grinning about something.

"I have just as much jurisdiction as you do , General Skylar, and since this concerns one of my force members, then I will be the one taking care of it.." Dilandau frowned at the man. He wasn't really starting to like this guy, ignoring him, he looked back at his blond friend.

"Force members? Am I missing something here?"

"He's talking about Rei, Dilandau.... Empire Dornkirk..... Has had her command resigned back under him, for the reminder of this mission.. Afterwards she is to return to the Black towers..." If Dilandau could drop his jaw he would, but as the name of the place he hated most slipped past his friends lips, his hands balled into fists. Skylar looked from him to Folken. "I'm sorry, but I tried to give you an extension.... But-" He didn't hear the rest of what he said, as Kale handed him the scroll of paper. Not that he was going to bother to read it.

_They are not taking her away from me!_

* * *

"There has to be a way!" Dilandau slammed his fist down onto the table shaking the small glass of wine that was on the table, along with the chess pieces. Skylar just frowned at him from across the way, setting his own glass down before moving a pawn across the board. He leaned back in his chair before studying Dilandau. The fire flickered in the small fire place behind him. This was the guest rooms abort the Vione, Skylar would stay here until the attack plan was set up before returning to his own fortress.

"I tried Dilandau... But, it seems that they think she would perform better out from under our control..."

"I don't give a damn.. And who the hell is this 'Special Forces' Commander anyways?" He snarled as he took one of Skylar's knights off the chess board. He frowned before answering.

"He deals with the empires machineries. Off and on he had command of Rei on some of her missions..." He took Dilandau's queen with a Bishop. "His rather argent if you ask me.."

"I can handle Rei fine..."

"I'm sure you can Dilandau..." Skylar leaned back in his chair watching the ruby eye boy across from him think about his next move. "Do you remember hearing about the Ionia fortress?"

"A surprise attack, everyone aboard was killed..." He moved his king over a space. "Why?"

"There was no surprise attack on the Ionia... It was Rei....." Skylar moved another pawn.

"What?"

"It was an 'episode' as they call them. The commander aboard the ship assaulted her, tipped her over the edge... Or that's what they said.." Dilandau slide a pawn of his own without thinking. "The madoushi fear that Folken can not control her, Empire Dornkirk, seems to want her to be used this last time... Before the 'retire' her... "

"I can't let that happen..." Dilandau growled as he pushed his hair off his face, he no longer wore his headband.

"No.. None of us can.. It up to you and Folken to figure out a way to control her.. Maybe then the madoushis will reconsider..." Skylar looked at the chess board for a moment and smiled. He moved his last knight. "A! Check mate!"

* * *

"I can't believe you actually talked Folken into this..." Rei sighed, tiredly, as she pulled on the controls of her Guymelef. It was well after dark, the moon lit her away through the skies. Behind her sat one of the few men in the world that she could some what get along with.. Well enough so she wouldn't cut his head off at the first chance.

"O, it took a while, but the old man finally saw it my way.." Kale laughed from behind her, she looked over her shoulder at the man frowning. Then again sometimes she wanted to ripe this ones throat out. "What? You went berserk Rei.. Having you out in the open is better then confined in a floating shit piece of rock surrounded by horny men."

"Like you don't count?" She sighed, as she looked at were she was flying to. To tired, she should have stayed in Dilandau's room.

"Hey! Don't get bitch with me!" He growled from behind her. "Right there in that clearing is good. We're far enough away now from the fortresses.."

"Fine..." She yanked on the controls and the dragon began a rapid decent.

"Hey! Slowly the Silencer down Rei!"

"Next time down drag me out here.." She growled as she eased up on the controls. The Silencer touched down onto the ground easily, and Kale jumped down from the cockpit before her Guymelef decided to start burning him again.

"A! A perfect place to set up camp for the night!" He wheeled around to look at her as she jumped down from her guymelef. "Alright, lets get a fire started! It's freezing out here!"

"We could have stayed on the Vione...." Rei sighed as she moved towards the woods to get some fire would. "It's warmer there...."

"O, stop being such a party pooper. At least this way you can tear apart defenseless forest creatures and not people!" Kale chirped happily. "Now get some fire wood woman!"

* * *

He moved the binoculars slightly as he watched the two sitting around the small fire in the clearing. His ass was starting to hurt from sitting up in the tree, but it was best to be there out of sight. Below him on another limb was his partner. Black hair fell over his eyes as he looked down at nothing particular.

"This is boring..." He sighed loudly as he put the binoculars down. His partner looked up at him for a moment, blue eyes not wavering in the moonlight.

"We have to pull this one off this time... Keep watching..." Sighing he picked up the binoculars again.

"Yay, yay..."

* * *

Rei stared down at the small flask of water in her hand, the fire place crackled slightly in front of her. Kale was lying out on some blankets reading a book he had brought along. This little camp trip survived no purpose, except to get her away from everyone. Isolation, she had this feeling. The rocks were hard against her backside but she didn't bather to move to find somewhere more comfortable to sit. Looking up at the small fire again, she watched the flames dance across the branches. Maybe she would take this time to do some hunting. At least then she could relieve some of this stress. Yet, Mayonaka wasn't here; the wolf was back on the Vione. There would be no fun in hunting alone. She sipped some of the water out of the flask, and then frowned as she swallowed, it tasted funny.

"Kale...."

"Umm?" That man sounded half drifted off into sleep.

"What's in this?" He yawned as he sat up to look at her. Long dark hair falling a bit over his brown eyes, as he studied her for a moment.

"In that.... Water I would imagine.." She took another sip from in, and frowned again. It still tasted weird. "And some Zicor...."

"What?!" Rei's head snapped up at the word. There was a fine smile on the man's face. The flask fell out of her hand, not because of surprise, but because of the loss of feeling in it.

"Sorry, Rei, but do you know how much your worth? It's enough for me to retire and not have to work again for the rest of my life..." He stood up slowly, Rei struggled to get to her own feet, but the drug ran through her system quickly. It numbed her legs and arms, along with fogging up her mind so that she could not call Silencer to her add. Kale pulled a small needle out of his pocket, and tested the liquid inside of it. "And I don't even have to worry about Zaibach.. Because you see Rei, the empire won't be standing for long..." He injected the liquid into the base of her neck, and stood back a bit as he watched her struggle for a moment on the ground as the second drug worked through her system. There was a growl, as her eyes began to turn blood shot, but because of the first her body would not respond. After a few moments, her body surrendered, and she unwillingly fell unconscious. He knelt down to take her pulse to make sure that she wasn't faking it and smiled. "A, time for the pay.."

"Alright!" He shouted as he looked out onto the woods. "I know you're out there! Bring me my pay and you can have her!" There was a crackle from the trees as a figure began to make its way out into the opening. His silver hair shimmered in the nights breeze, in his hand was a medium sized chest. Kale waited until he was closed enough for him to see the color of his eyes, a shade of dark purple. "Alright, your close enough, drop the chest there and move away from it..."

"I can sure you the payment is all there..." The man frowned slightly as he placed the chest down and stepped away towards the sleeping dragon form of the Silencer. With his sword in hand he made his way around the fire place to the small chest. Not taking his eyes off of the man, he kicked it open. When one quick look at it, he snapped back around to the silver haired man.

"Where the hell is the rest of it?!"

"Well, you see, Celtic doesn't see the need to pay a man so much gold.... When he wont be spending it...." The man smiled lightly.

"What the hell is that-" Kale started to say as he held up his sword, but it soon dropped as a sudden pain exploded in his chest and back. Looking down he saw a small arrowhead, stick out from his chest where his heart was. "You sons of asses..." was all he could say as he fell to the ground.

"Nice shooting Will..." The silver haired man said, to no one particular since he was the only standing person left it the field. That was until a spot a few meters away fluttered and gave way as Will turned off his stealth cloak. The black fabric covered him from head to toe, before he pushed the hood off. His ragged black hair fell over his eyes. "He was starting to annoy me..."

"Whatever, Kaji... Is it her?" Will just frowned as he walked up to him, Kaji just pushed his hair out of his face before walking over to the unconscious girl a few feet away. Her long white hair fell out of its braid along side her.

"Yup... what do we do with him...?"

"Leave him... and the chest, its blood money." Will said as he kicked the chest over, spilling out the gold coins into the blood that began to pool around the chest. "Let's get back to Vickie before someone notices...."

* * *

Note: -- When Rei commands Mayonaka's attacks, she is counting in French. Was planning on using Japanese, but seeming I am taking French at the moment.. o well.. so shut me-.-

Sept – 7

Huit – 8

Right, you people are sooooo gonna kill me for that hanger. But o well! That was where I planning on ending that chapter anyways. The next one should be slight... or well a lot shorter, and hopefully up faster.. Working on tying in all lose ends... yea even though I killed a character in the small chapter he appears! (hahah so mean) Anyways review, I worked hard on this!

And to my readers that where mad at me for the last ending.... I'll try no to make such a bad cliff hanger again!


	17. The Silent Calm Before the Storm

To Tame a Beast

Hurricanes plus Florida equals evilness…

Ya anyways. Sorry for this loooong belay. Please forgive me… This chapter is by far.. the longest I've written I think.. Took me a while to figure out how to get so many things done getting to the end of things are sooooo hard..

Please forgive me.. I have not gone trough this yet for errors… I tried to do it as I wrote.. I promise to go back and re read it.. but I thought you guys waited long enough…

_XoXoX _- Dream

* * *

Chpt 16 The Silent Calm before the Storm

_XoXoX_

_Glass pierced the flesh of her feet as she stumbled over them. How long has she been walking? The thought was never answered as she stumbled on towards the sobbing cries. Fresh blood lined the long blue shirt she wore, and strains of her hair fell over her eyes._

_"I'm coming don't worry.." She words where no more then a rasp whisper. Having said them some many times now, she hoped that the one crying out in pain could hear her. Another piece of glass jabbed itself into her hell, causing her to fall down. Smaller pieces cut into her hands as she used them to stop her fall. How am I suppose to make it there if I keep falling! She slammed her hands down on the fragments of glass making them jump about. Closing her eyes, she allowed the first tears the grace her cheeks._

_"Whatever you do, don't cry." Words made from her own voice but not from her own throat. Her eyes flew open to look down at a fragment of glass that had an moving image on it. Bewildered by this, she picked it up to look at the blurry moving figures._

_(In the glass)_

_" "Don't cry?" What are you going to do, runt?" a boy asked as he slumped down against the wall. The steady beat of running water echoed in the cell. His silverish hair fell down over his face. It was long and unclean; his dark purple eyes looked almost like black pearls if it hadn't been for the small amount of light in the cell. There was another in the room, standing next to him. He was clearly younger, though his clear blue eyes told other wise. Ragged, unclean black hair had been pulled back to make his face noticeable. They were looking at a small white haired girl standing outside of the bars, holding a small torch. The light blue shirt she wore fell to her knees, ragged and lined in blood. Frowning at them, she looked about the dark halls before slipping in between the bars with little trouble._

_"You can't cry out, they'll hear. I have to cut out the t-" she frowned for a moment while she tried to figure out the word, "trackers that they place on us. If I don't, they find you before you can even escape.."_

_"Cut them out?" The younger boy frowned at the word as the sapphire eyed girl pulled out a sharp surgical knife. Holding it into the flame of the torch she said nothing as the tow looked at her. "Do you know where they are? You're not going to just cut into us, are you?"_

_"Let the runt do it, kid… We don't want to go through this whole thing just to end up back here do we?" The one sitting down said as he stood back up and walked over to her. She ignored him for a moment longer as she held the knife in the fire until it was red hot. The sapphire pools looked at him before looking to the other. "I'll go first.."_

_"The wound may scar… I do not know how deep they are…" He shrugged at her as he sat down next to her. She pulled his left sleeve to leave his shoulder bare._

_"Well I guess I can live with it. It can be your price for this, so that we remember…Right 003?"_

_"Yea... It works out…" The other boy shrugged. The little girl didn't say anything as she held the surgical knife in place. "Hey, 004…Don't scream…" "_

_It flickered and returned to the clear glass that it once was. Running her hand along the edges she studied a little longer before setting it down on the ground. Standing slowly, she turned her mind back to the sobbing cries. Stepping down on the ground, she ignored the pain of the glass stabbing her bare feet. _

_"I'm coming… I'll help you remember.."_

_XoXoX_

It took her a while to realize that she was concusses, though once she did she wish she hadn't even bothered to wake up. Her insides felt like they had been turned inside out, and when though she felt like retching, at the same time it didn't seem her body would let her. From head to toe, her body throbbed in pain. Though, none of it seemed to compare to the massive throb in her skull. It felt like a dragon had been stepping on her head repeatedly, or well, her skull felt like it was about to split in half. Slowly as her mind over fought the pain; she became aware of her surroundings. Lying out on her side she felt the grassy ground. Her arms were bound behind her back, and her hands tied together. The rope also bit down on to her thighs and ankles. There was no clear memory on what happened for a while, though it took her twice as long from waking up to figure out she wasn't alone.

There were two voices, speaking a bit to low for her to understand, but they were there. She dare not move, and kept her eyes closed hoping they wont notice that she was wake. Remembering what had happen and where she was, was starting slowly coming around. She remember Kale, the rotten bastard that manage keep his head on for three years working with her. He had dragged her out on a 'camping trip' to get her off the Vione, and get out in the open to 'stretch her wings'. It was a blank from there for a while. She still couldn't understand what the voices were saying, but know she could detected that they were male. That and she was in a tent with a lot of boxes, or crates. Her stomach turned, and twisted making the sick feeling even worse. It felt horrible, though the amount of pain wasn't coming from there, but lower. It had almost been two months, and the pain here hadn't been this bad. Something was wrong with her, and she was too banged up and her mind was too screwed up to do a damn thing. One of her keepers moved, knocking something over and the other's voice took a different octave, more hostile. Maybe they were deciding which one of them should have the first go with her. One of the things she hated about being a prisoner of war, a female prisoner of war. Battles, and days in marching to battles make things hard on some male soldiers. Female company is a great way from some of them to relieve the stress. Though, those with a lot of it aren't above raping a female prisoner. Rape was also a good way to break down a female prisoner's will. If only she could get her hands free. But even if she could, the sharp pain going up her through her body would not make movement very easy for her. A sharp pain ran up her spine suddenly, as the voices behind her quieted down a bit. It was too sudden for her to hold her breath, so she breathed in short, causing her to go into a harsh coughing fit.

"Kaji!" One of the voices said, she could make out the young male voice now. Not that it did her any good. The coughing fit ran throughout her body magnified the pain that pulsed through her as well. Someone pulled her up into a sitting position, and pounded onto her back to get her to stop. Her sapphire eyes met a set of dark purple ones as another one knelt down before her. His mouth moved but she couldn't understand him. Silver hair fell over his eyes, jolting slightly the dream she had, but she could quiet grasp what it was. It fell too far behind the dissipating fog in her mind. The coughing fit finally stopped, and so did the pounding on her back. The one in front of her didn't look very happy.

"The bastard gave her too much, that has to be it." His voice was dark, and deep. He was studying her over, one of his hands pressed against her forehead. It was ice cold to her. "She's burning up one hell of a fever."

"There's nothing we can do, her system has to flush it out…" A lighter voice said; it belonged to the one holding her up. He moved and laid her back down on the ground. The two were now knelt around her, she could see them now. Voices had faces. The purple eyed one had silver colored hair that fell down to his shoulders. The other one looked to be the youngest. Clear blue eyes seemed very fitting for his innocent look; uneven black locks fell over his eyes. The kept talking about something, but she couldn't hear them. Their voices seemed so muffled together that it made her head hurt even more when trying to understand them. Closing her eyes to shut out the light of the tent, she tried to concentrate. It started to come back then, the bastard had given her something in the water. Zicor, a sleeping drug! He had sold her out, the dirty pig. And worse, he probably sold her out to the Celtic army. How had that damn dirty pig lived for so long anyways? There was nothing much she could do now anyways, except for think of a way to get out of here. But the like ability that she could any time soon didn't seem very good. The sharp pain in her stomach was getting worse and worse by the moment. The asshole had over dosed the water with too much of the damn drug. Its side effect wasn't a very pleasant one at this moment. The voices around her seemed to take on a different tone, as if the two were arguing about something. She shut her eyes tighter, hoping to shut out the sound of their voices but it didn't work. They flew open only a few seconds later as another coughing spasm started again. The two voices stopped as they went about turning their attention to her again. Someone was trying to get her to drink water while she was in between coughing spasms. It wasn't working very well.

_XxXxXxXx_

He stood in the open field, over looking the scene. How could he have been so stupid? How could he not have seen it? That this was bound to happen, for it always did. What he cared most for, without seeing it until it was too late, would be taken away from him. Though it wasn't his fault this time, no matter how watchful he could have been he would never have seen this coming. The evening breeze ran though his silver hair, making it fall over his red eyes. Folken had been a fool too, for allowing them to come out here without someone else too. But how could he have known either? That this man who had worked so well with her in the pasted would do this, betray his country for nothing more then a chest full of gold. Fools gold though, for it seemed he would never get the chance to life his life with it. His carcass lay out on the rocks, rioting out here in the sun. And that was where Dilandau was going to leave him. For the traitor was fit for nothing more then the buzzers that circled the sky above, and that was just what he was going to get.

Dilandau balled his hands into fist as he over looked the area. A fool, that what he was. He had been so angry with her for the pasted that he could not see the future. Always, he was left with the fear of being alone. A fear his 'sister' would leave him; his slayers might disband from him and leave him alone to the madoushi. That was why he always pushed everything away, so that if they did leave he would not be the one hurt in the end. Though it did not work very well, he was close to Celena, and he was close to his slayers. They were his family, his life and he would never let anything happen to them. But why then, did he fell this way? Like he had failed in something. Rei was the woman who had been a nuisance since she came here. Never following orders, and always a problem she was and yet. Here he was, feeling alone, lost. He had failed at something and he wasn't sure what it was. There was a feeling somewhere, that he was suppose to protect her, but from what? The she-demon had failed them; she had left them to those painful years with the madoushi. But, maybe it was just that he never thought about it before now.

In the pasted he always thought she had died trying to say them that she had done her best to try and help them. But when he found that she was alive, that the she-demon lived. He blamed her, for failing, for leaving them. But that wasn't true. She had done her best to help them, to save them. But that time, she was betrayed by someone she must have trusted. They were not alone in their pain, for in some other dark room in those godforsaken towers she was there too. Trapped inside her mind unable to escape. Zaibach had created the prefect fighting machine, a berserker with unlimited strength. She had kill eighty men on her own without a single wound. A massacre was to her something as easy as breathing. Death was an art that she had mastered, and the she-demon was not afraid of it. And there was so much more, so much more she could probably do that he did not know of. If Zaibach has starved to create something that would bring it enemies to their knees without killing to may of its own soldiers it had found it. But if only Zaibach could control it. Prefect she was, she had one flaw that madoushis wished Folken to correct. Though, the man had no time to do it, for the girl was gone, and Celtic had her. In the moment of heated rage, could the she-demon remember who her fellow men were or, was there a reason why the madoushi preferred her to work alone? He turned then to look upon the red giant behind him. The stealth clock fluttering in the wind, he would not allow that to happen. He would not allow the she-demon that kind of death. For it was time he paid back what little hope then she had given to him and his sister. A hope that had kept him going even now, though it was only when she was taken that he realized it. The blacken rose she had kept was the proof of the loyalty she once held.

He would not let her be abandoned to that fate.

_XxXxXxXx _

Massive chaos was about the words to describe the current situation aboard the Vione. In less then two hours had passed when Dilandau had returned from his little outing to find Rei. One that had not been cleared for him to take, two hours and the whole place was in an uproar. Fingers were at the moment being pointed for the problem, Dilandau for not keeping an eye on her, Skylar for removing command from Dilandau to do that to someone traitor, and lastly to him for allowing the late night camping trip. Folken growled inwardly as he made his way through the dark corridors of the ship, to a place at the moment he really didn't want to be going to. It was a good idea; her mood swings had taken a dramatic change. Quiet, shy, complete opposites from what she had been earlier. Though quiet and shy were normal traits to someone who held the same condition. None of this changed the problem, clarification had already came in (slightly on the late side though) that the "Special Force' commander was selling information to the Celtics. Through him information leaked out on Rei, and a price had gone for her head. This, unfortunately, was also another problem. Kale had also sold the "control" chemical used on her to keep her inline. Unless this man knew something that none of the madoushis did, there was no such drug. There were many drugs that created violent reactions, but they were not very long lasting given her immunity to them. At this moment, Celtic had a sleeping time bomb in their hands that was still mentally unstable.

True, she could just be left there, let them try to use her against them and have it back fire. But there was something unsettling about this. A "control" was not impossible; half of Kane's project journal was still missing. The telling whether or not he had really created a control drug was unknown. For the years that she was operational she had no outbursts. It wasn't until the Ionia incident that she did become uncontrollable. Though the trigger of this was still unknown, but one of the first people to be killed was the project assistant, Axiom and Kane himself. The idea had floated around for sometime that the incident had been planned; the whole massacre of the Ionia was to cover up his death. It was killed among the madoushi, though and was left just as it is known now. To the world it was a surprise attack, but to those who knew who really did it, it was an outburst a backfire on what were Kane had been using. None of this really mattered anymore, what did was the fact Celtic had 009, and was going to use her. Turning about the corner he came to the destination he had hoped that he wouldn't have to come to for a time. The steel claw lightly taped in the code for the door, which slide slowly open to reveal the dark room which lay on the other side. Folken walked forward into it, knowing this room well enough that he had not to fear walking into something. The door closed again, secluding him into an almost total darkness. Before him, a small screen gave off some light. Enough now that he could see the small pillars that lay in a triangle.

He slowly pressed down the small triangles that sat upon them, in a certain pattern. Hopefully she would be there; it was coming to be late evening there now given that it was midmorning here. Maybe she was expecting him to call, with luck that would be the case, and she would already know what he was going to ask. The tracking device had been removed, and left out in the woods. That was how Dilandau had found the little camp site. Not only was she taken, but now there was no way to tell were she was taken to. No hope to retrieve her now if there was anything that could be down. The screen lightened up more, becoming slightly statically. Then again she could also be asleep or out with her daughter. The static continued for a while, in a moment he was going to have to give up and try again later. A message could not be received if none was there to turn on the thing. The screen flickered again, and began to gain color. Folken sighed slightly, someone was in that damn office of hers. And since none one but her was ever allowed in there… The screen came into focus, but the face that appeared on it was by face to young to be the person he had wanted. Red hair cut short, barely touching her neck, a pair of velvet eyes looked off to the side on the small screen that sat in the office. For a moment, his good memory had failed him the name of this little girl or well this NOW young woman didn't come. The velvet eyes came back to the screen, now satisfied with what were she had been trying to fix. May, how she had grown to look so much like her mother.

"Hello? Um.. Sorry but Aurora is.. err.. Not in the condition to talk to anyone." The girl seemed sort of lost in what she was doing. "I'll take a message if this is an urgent call. But you will have to-"

"Kath, what are you doing in your mother's office?" Her name had finally come back to him, while she was trying to talk. She stopped for a moment, surprised by his voice, and squinted at the screen.

"Folkie?" Another inward groan, Aurora had passed on her childish nickname to her daughter. "I'm sorry, didn't know it was you. Mom broke this thing a year ago and hasn't gotten it fixed. All I see is a funky purple and green color. Very gross may I add.."

"A year ago?"

"Don't ask me…" She shrugged slightly, and looked to the side of the screen at something. "Anyways, I'm in the office hiding. I hate funerals, all of his family members are here, and mom is hiding in her room at the moment." Folken frowned, that was why she was in such a rush to leave here. At least she could have told him, instead of attacking like it was nothing.

"Kath, wh-"

"Hold on a second, I think I found the control. I'll transfer the call up to her. I think that thing in her room still works..." Her hand moved off to the side of the screen, blocking some of it. He could hear the static sound the flooded the room as she messed with whatever her hand was touching. She could have told him, Folken wasn't paying attention to Kath at the moment as his mind trailed off onto something. Or had she planned this little incident? "Yay! What do you know, it still works. Ok Folkie…"

"Um?" He looked back at the screen of the young redhead girl, as she turned her own attention back to him. "Wait, Kath if-"

"Talk to you later, Folkie." She was ignoring him as she waved slightly. At the moment the clear trait of mother to daughter was very noticeable. "Make her smile please; this mood of hers is becoming such a downer." The screen blacked out again, returning to the gray static it was before, until a new image started up. Well, there went that, Folken groaned inwardly. This wasn't going to make the day any better. The room came in fuzzy slightly; it was to dark to really see anything. The most likely thing to happen at the moment would be that she wouldn't want to talk to him. A white ball flew out of nowhere and struck the screen, making the colors change slightly.

"What the hell's the matter with her? What part of "I will not-" did she not understand?" The grumpy sounding voice came. That wasn't something he was excepting, the idea she was crying was what Kath had started. Was Aurora just up set over something? A fuzzy form of red and black plopped down in front of the screen, it would take the woman a few minutes to clear up the image, given that the machine she used there was almost four times his age. Squinting at the screen, she frowned now that he could see her better. The red strains of hair were in a mess, falling over what looked like tear stricken, tired blue eyes. What he could see of her was in dark clothing, or more over her old madoushi cloak. "A, the meaning of my misery has finally called. "

"Aurora, why didn't you just tell me?"

"What, that the jackass had a heart attack? That he dead while screwing some street whore? Na didn't think it was very appealing…" She just shrugged, and wiped her eyes with a tissue. "It was gonna happen, I told him to loose weight, but no… He went doing something he loved doing. Happy for the guy, he's out of my life. Though, he did scare the hell out of that girl..." The woman laughed slightly before looking at him. "But that it's the reason for this sour mood. O, no, it has to deal with all the fucking, suicidal Madoushi!" Fists slammed down on the desk, shaking the image of her.

"Wha-"

"Folken, haven't I ever told you to keep your mouth shut when your elder is talking? Um, good then use that knowledge I passed down to you and shut up for a moment…." Aurora glared at him, as she rested her head on one of her hands. "When you told me that Kane was from the Mystic Moon, I did some searching around. Unfortunately, you had to call me to the Vione when Rei went missing, so I couldn't do much looking into it. Well, when I got back here, total driven crazy by mourners for that 'husband' of mine, I went to the Black Towers to do some more looking around. I found the boxes with all those notes and stuff from the Ionia. Ya, whoever was supposed to look through that damn stuff did a horrible job."

"Auro-"

"Folken, don't make me repeat myself…." She glared at him again, one of her hands moved out to the side out of the field of vision for the machine. "Remember when we first met? You were coming into the towers; I was supposed to be your 'tutor' until you got the hang of being there? I took your to a project testing that I couldn't get out of, it was the first time you were introduced kind of to Rei."

"Yes... I remember that..." Folken frowned, he defiantly didn't like were this was going. Anything that had to deal with those days of his pasted would not be pretty.

"It was actually the last testing day, to see if the drug would work. It was Kane's first good attempted at a control. It worked pretty well in training sessions; she never got too out of hand. But that day, what you saw was the final out come of the testing…"

"And from what I remember of it then, if that was supposed to be a control it felled miserably..."

"It did… but they weren't testing her then for a control. It was already known that the drug wouldn't do that… Then, they were using it as a trigger, it was during a time period the madoushi wanted her to used as something else, but Dornkirk over ruled it, so Kane turned his attention back to creating a control….."

"Aurora what does this have to do-"

"Folken do you remember reading about the "Doom's Day" compound? It was something I showed you once..."

"Yes... it was made to be a trigger appointed for a weapon that was going to be used. It's injected into a specimen, which is then released. It was very violent reactions to it that then cause very violent behavior." She held up a small bottle, an etched in sigma was carved into the small glass container.

"I found it, with his things... There were only two bottles of this thing ever made, Dornkirk put a banned on letting others be made. Kane was given one of them… I also found a letter addressed to Rei crammed into one of the books. Thought you'd want to hear it..." There was a ruffle of paper.

_Rei_

_May you, in sometime or anything forgive me child. I had no right; I came here for some reason for a long time I hoped it wasn't because of a madman's dream. What I did I can not undo. You were too young to fight back; now that you can I think it is time to right a wrong before it happens. They don't remember, but I do. I won't let them do it. You are to happy, the shadow of your once self has finally started to come about. It works, barely. But, they will never know, they can not._

_For give me but it must be done. They wish to use you in that way, so I must remind them. What it is that is your true nature. You'll hate me, I know. The cost is great to you. But once it's done, you're free. Take flight with your broken wings, don't turn back to them. You're free to walk on your own, choose your own destiny. But remember, what you are…_

The paper folded back up, the silence fell between them. Calculations started to run through his mind as he started at her. This brought on something new, the journal he had did not speak much on this, and there was no mention in it about the Doom's Day. The book ended only a little after she was put into the coma state. If what she was saying was true, not only did this bring light to some of the metal changes in Rei's appearance after the Ionia incident but it also-

"The control Kale sold to Celtic….."

"…was Doom's Day."

_xXxXxXxXx_

Dilandau stood in the room, waiting silently. The meeting had not been called by him, no at the moment he would rather be in his room. At least there he could find some solitude from the world to work things out in his own mind. So many things were wavering in his mind that he couldn't sort out. But he couldn't hide; there was a need for him here. There were only three others in the room, well four at the moment. Jyle was slumped down in one of the chairs of the room, staring at nothing particular on the table. Deamor was a crossed from him. A rifted had created sometime between these two, who were normally a part in any crime acted against Dilandau, but for some reason it seemed that this one was finally stepping out of the shadow of his once longtime friend. Then there was Skylar, the caller of this meeting. At the moment she was speaking to Folken, though the man did not seem intent on staying. Paper work was tucked under the blond boys arm as he nodded at what ever the Strategoes was saying. Then was a silent agreement from whatever it was they were talking about. Dilandau pushed himself off the wall and walked over to the table were the other two sat to claim one of the lasts seats for himself. With hope this meeting would be over with soon, there was soon many things he did not want to deal with, and two of them were these two commanders. The door shut somewhat loudly, indicating that Folken had left. There were foot steps that echoed slightly as Skylar walked up to the table.

"It's about time you started this…" Jyle growled lightly. The Silver commander just ignored him as he set his papers down on the table.

"At this moment, most of us in this room are not really friends. For a good part we hate each, well hate isn't the right word to describe it but for the sake it's as close as I'm going to get." He sighed. "The only out right reason we haven't killed each other is because we serve a common country, we fight for a common idea. At this moment this ideal, this empire is in danger. Seventeen hours ago, the madoushi project 009, nicknamed Rei, was capture by the Celtic, her whereabouts are still unknown. Most of us here have the idea of what she is, but what you all know is far from the exact truth. Yes, 009 is a designed Berserker, a deadly one but the purpose and use of her now was not what she was originally designed for." Papers were being to be handed around to the three of them. Dilandau, not very happy that this meeting was on a topic he was still himself trying to figure out, leaned forward to study the papers he was handed. Numbers, formulas were written across the papers. These were things that he knew well, whether the two others did, he didn't care. These were a madoushis notes, several different madoushi, each with different notes but all on the same formula.

"What the fuck is all of this?" Deamor growled as he looked through the papers, to quickly to really be reading any of it. Jyle on the other hand was looking over them more slowly, deliberately. Looks like Dilandau was finally found out which one of the two really held the brains.

"They're notes moron if you read them…" Dilandau sighed as he set them down. He didn't want to read them all, whatever it was Skylar was going to tell them. The blond looked sad about something for a moment while he studied his face. The boy's hazel eyes could not hold his red watch eyes.

"I don't care how you got your information, or how reliable your resources are. Before you are the real things, this are what was really done during the project 009. What we've seen her do so far is only the beginning. Her original purpose, what she was meant for was out shadowed when the issue she was created to solve didn't exist anymore. So they changed it into what we see today." He ran his hand though his hair trying to find the right words. "But, that is why there are so many problems with her. Her original purpose still conflicts with her new purpose. The Special Force commander not only sold her out to Celtic, but along with the only copy of drug that the form you hold in your hands creates. Its called Doom's Day and it does exactly what you think. Protect 009 was a doom's day creation, injected with that compound she would be sat in the middle of our enemies midst's. In less then four hours, she can annihilate a large city. It was predicted in forty-eight hours, she could wipe out a kingdom as large as a third of the Empire. She is dangers now, with the Celtic it is unknown what they plan to do with her. But it is clear, if they use her, she will not be able to tell the different between her enemy and those who she serves."

"Then she must be retrieved at all costs…" Deamor growled as he through his papers down. "If we had her before, why didn't we just use her to end this war already!"

"Weren't you paying attention, Deamor?" Dilandau said calmly, as he pushed aside his own papers, no longer needing them. It was all coming slightly clear now. Missing pieces for so long coming together, they were never going to escape the madoushi when they were younger because the madoushi couldn't let her go. She was a danger, not only to herself but those around. She helped them, knowing the rest of what she was, and he had hated her. How was he better then the next fool, better then Jyle or Deamor? If he had known it then, would he have decided to use her in the same way? They were all weapons created for on purpose. He, a perfect soldier, not born but created, her, the untamed beast who would be able to being kings to their knees. His red eyes settled on the brown haired general. " If we did use her like that, because we couldn't control her. That's why they've been trying for so long. Isn't that right?"

"Yes…."

"What does the Empire Dornkirk want us to do?" Jyle, finally stepping into the conversation, placed his papers down.

"In twenty-three hours we are leading an all out attack against the remaining army of Celtic. At all cost, we are to capture their king, and order their total surrender."

"What about Rei?" Skylar turned his head towards Dilandau, barely able to keep his glaze.

"If project 009 original purpose has been activated, she will become priority, and must be…" There seemed to be an eternity before he finished. Dilandau knew what his friend was going to say, but some part of him wished it would not be true. The madoushi did not give up on something that was theirs too easily. "…annihilated."

_xXxXxXx_

_Zaibach count down: Twenty-one hours, fifty-eight minutes until final attack_

"A weapon! You promised me a weapon, Vickie, something I could use against Zaibach to bring her to her knees!" The old king yelled as he paced about the tent. The dim afternoon light came into the room; it had been raining for a good part of the morning. Dreariness seemed to fit the mood so far, though the man was now starting to get on her nerves. Soon it would be over; soon this insolent man would no longer exist. "Instead you bring this... this WOMAN!" He stooped suddenly and turned to face her. "How the hell is she going to help us!"

"My lord… if you would please calm down..." She sighed; the pale blue bangs fell over her eyes. Where were those two morons at? Strength was not a thing she had a lot left at the moment. "She is like us, a project created by Zaibach Madoushi. Her power is far greater then the three of ours.."

"And yet, why does it not surprise me that you still will no allow me to see that for myself?" He growled angrily as he continued to pace about, if this man keep up with this stress he would die an early death. Though, it wasn't as if she cared, but at the moment he was better to deal with then his generals.

"She is unstable…"

"I have yet to see that.. If she is so 'unstable' then how can I trust that she will be usable before Zaibach attacks? I have less then half my army!" _Whose fault was that now?_ Was the retort she would have liked to use, but the only reason she was the one ever talking directly to him was because she knew how to even out ruffled feathers. Along with some….other things.

"My lord… She will be ready, don't worry... Though you should be preparing your men, they should have discovered her missing several hours ago. There is no telling when they may attack.." The old man nodded slightly as he started for the flap of the door.

"Yes... yes, I must see to that," Thank the goddess the madoushi gave her something of a useful talent after they had ruined her body. Once he was gone, she was left alone in the solitude of the tent for sometime before something moved to her right. She did not need to turn her head to see who it was; she could since the mind.

"Well, Will?"

"She…. Is not very stable. There is no way we can use it at this time without it breaking her mind." The black haired boy knelt down next to her, blue eyes turned away to study the map upon the table before her.

"And Kaji?"

"I think, that he may become a problem if we tell him… He wishes to see Dilandau fall upon her hands." There was a silence between them as she looked to the only silver piece on the map.

"Then, if it comes to it…. For the purpose of our mission, I will terminate him."

_xXxXxXxXx_

_Zaibach Count down: Nineteen hours, seventeen minutes._

She folded the armor jacket out on the bed, to numb to really be thinking on what she was doing. May the gods forgive them for this, may her brother forgive himself if it comes to it. Here was no way she could get out of it, there was no way she would let him face her on his own if he had to. He maybe insensitive, unknowing of his own feelings but she could see it. True, she was the 'damaged' one, but in some ways so was he. The madoushi were fools if they thought they could create something that only lived with the emotions of lust, and anger. Sometimes, Celena wondered if the other slayers saw it too. These passed few weeks, no, since they found out. Back when they were little, she didn't understand his admiration for her. She was a beast, a monster with teeth that were well hidden beneath rosy lips that could bit out at any moment it chose. But never one did she bit at them. A rose that was what she remembered the most, a gifted Dilandau hard to try for weeks to get a hold of. When she was unconscious in this room, Aurora had put a box into her hand. A box that held the petals of a dried rose. Admiration then, but now it was different, but dare she to call it that? Was in that since he cared for her, as she did for someone else? Odd, if it was true would Dilandau have the strength, where she did not, to tell her how he felt? There was a whine behind her, Celena turned slowly to look at the still wounded wolf upon the other bed in the room that had laid empty for a little too long. The poor think looked lonely, sighing she walked over to Mayonaka and sat down on the bed next to him.

"I know boy... You miss her don't ya…?" She ran her hair though his white fur, his grey eyes looked to the door unwavering. "Me too..." She sat like that for a little while longer. Petting him, she didn't really want to get ready right now. There was so much that had to been done, so little time. But right now, she just felt like crying, though she wouldn't get the chance to do that. There came a knock then, on the door, light but enough for her to hear. Mayonaka did not move his head, just continued to stare at the door. "Yes?"

"Celena... Can I come it in?" Folken, her heart seemed to skip a beat for the wrong reasons she knew, but still.

"Ya!" The door slide open, to reveal a tired looking man. He had left his cloak somewhere; he was also not dressed in his uniform. This wasn't a first time she had seen him like, this; it was only on rare occasions that he was out of it. She liked him best like this, black slacks and the light blue shirt. He must have been working on something in his lab again. Most of the time this was how he dressed when he worked with chemicals, the only time anyone saw him like this outside of his lab was if he was getting something. "Something I can do for you?"

"I wanted to try and open Rei's chest…" Folken smiled lightly as he walked in to the room and crossed the floor towards her. O, how she felt like such an idiot sometimes. He knelt down in front of the chest that had sat in this room for some long, unopened that Celena barely noticed its existence sometimes. It was a blood lock chest, so Celena had never been able to pick it to see what was inside.

"How are you going to do that?" She slide off the bed and sat on the floor next to him as he opened a small tube of red liquid. "What's that?"

"A sample of her blood... I hope it's not too old..." Folken said lightly as he poured some of it onto the small energests chamber that locked the chest. There was a silence for a while as he waited, Celena inched closer to him. The chamber glow a faint pink and the sounds of small gears moving cut the silence of the room. The lid popped open.

"It worked…."

"Yes… Now, let's see if it's in here..." Celena frowned as he started pulling this out of it. What could Folken be looking for? Most of the things he pulled out didn't make much since, pieces of tattered cloth, a ripped blue shirt covered with years of dirt and misuse. There were small weapons here and there, daggers mostly. There were some old books, and a sketch pad. Though the last things he pulled out seemed to be what he was looking for. Part of a tattered back half of a golden book come out of the chest, that he studied for a moment, clear this was what he was looking for.

"Folken…?" He looked away from it to her, maroon eyes looking sort of sad.

"It's the rest of her record..." He answered, not needing to know what she was going to ask.

"What good is it now?"

"Maybe..." He turned a few pages." I can find if he did create a control… That way, you won't-"

"Have to kill her?"

"Yes..." He smiled lightly at her, before pulling out the last two things, a small bottle, half empty and a needle. There was a frown on his face as he studied them for a second.

"And those…"

"I won't know... Until I read this." He placed the other things back into the chest and closed it. Celena stood up with him, hand lightly on his shoulder as he study one page. Her heart fluttered in her chest, why couldn't she just come out and say it, now would be the perfect time yet….

"Alright.. Sorry for disturbing you Celena…" He closed the havened book and looked down at her. He had a small smile on his face.

"It's ok…" She stepped away from him as he turned to leave. She wouldn't have another chance again. The battle might put an end to her life; there was no knowing what tomorrow held... And yet. "Folken?"

"Ya?" He stopped and turned towards her.

"Nothing... never mind…." She still couldn't tell him.

_xXxXxXxXx_

_Zaibach Count down: Eighteen hours, four minutes_

Evening was setting now; soon darkness would set on the world. Everything would be sleeping as they wait for the morrow's morning to rise. Dilandau was doing the last checks on his Alseides still too lost in though to think of going to bed at the moment. Tomorrow would be a very early start to the day, they would have to leave the Vione and arrive at the bottle in their guymelefs. The feeling in his stomach was unsettling. Would he be able to do it? Could he? The questions whirled so much in his mind, consuming his thought that he did not hear his sister walk up the steps and stand on the platform watching him. His hands moved over controls to check their movement, as his mind swirled in possibilities that tomorrow would bring. Would they use her? Or would they hesitate. She would attack them to, not just Zaibach. A beast like that completely wild would not care. If she could kill eighty men on her own by a different drug, this one would be more deadly.

"You know, sleep is better then checks on your guymelef, brother... You can only check something so many times." He tilted his head up to see his sister leaning against the opening on the cockpit. She was dressed in black slacks and her undershirt. The light blue cloth fluttered in the wind. She must be walking around to, unable to sleep. He had tried to convince her to stay behind, but it did not work. She would not let him fight this battle on his own. Leaning back in the cock pit he stared up at the black interior. Tomorrow would be a living hell; would he be able to make it through? He owned her a lot, was in justified for him to pay her back by giving her death?

"I know…" And her… was it justified for him to summit his sister to it? Did she to understand what was going to happen tomorrow? Probably, that would be a reason she wouldn't let him go out on his own. The Dragonslayers wouldn't even let him, if given the choice whether or not to fight tomorrow those boys would be the first ones out here in the morning. Though, would his sister have any regrets? Dilandau did not have many, only this one at the moment he could think of. He was sure that there were more, but this one seemed to stand out the most in his mind. Sitting up again, Dilandau looked at Celena. She was looking out away from him into the now night sky. The loose locks of hair that had slipped out of her braid fell about her face. Yes, there would be one regret if she were to die tomorrow. But was it his place? If she did not have the strength now to say it, was it his place? Of course it was, he's approval of it may be enough for her to say it, but he would have never given it. Though, things are different now, they were both in the same boat some how… "Cel….."

"Um?" She didn't look at him.

"I don't want you…. To walk out here with anything you regret not doing tomorrow. None of us know what is going to happen, if we are going to even come back…But... if it helps any..." Her head looked at him now, blue eyes studying his face as he spoke. Would it even matter if he said it, he would never be able to clear his own consciousness. Though, she deserved it, after all they had been through. "I approve of him…"

_xXxXxXx_

_Zaibach count down: fifteen hours thirty minutes_

The darkness had set in the room now, the sun light finally faded off behind the distant mountains. The light of the cursed moon barely light the night sky, the stars did not seem to have the will to shine through the darkness. They were foreshadowing, if was as if they knew what tomorrow would bring. The small light of the candle in the room was the only thing that seemed to be the only thing willing to fight the darkness, giving only enough light for him to be able to read the pages of the tattered book. He didn't have to translate it all now, for the most part he had figured out the language. Though after a while it went from Alantian to Gaian making it easier on him to read. The documentation in Gaian, though, was not very detailed. It was still a showing of the dead man's entrust of those he worked with. The detail descriptions though of reactions were, mood swings noted, and several other things. After awhile it began to look like a parent's journal on an infant. This was the stage Folken knew; this is what he had seen when he took part in her experimentation. Though, when he found what he was looking for, the detail descriptions were stomach turning. Zaibach had no right to this; the madoushi should have never created something like this. The only event of this he ever witnessed played in his mind as he read over each account.

_"Damn it! Late… We are late…" The petit red haired woman walked quickly in front of him, looking half ready to run down the long dark corridor. He tried to keep up with her fasted pasted, but it was becoming harder. The throbbing pain in his right side was starting to get worse. It was only his third day in this place, and already was it a living hell. The cloak fluttered about below his feet. Lord, there was a slight fear in the back on his mind stepping on the edge, and tripping over it, the things were so long. The woman in front of him had pushed them off her shoulders so it hung behind her. The black uniform below it seemed to mix in with there surroundings, if it wasn't for the red lining, it would look like she hadn't a body. If it wasn't for the clawed arm he had, he would have done the same, but… "We are sooooooo freaking late!"_

_"I don't think repeating that over and over again is going to help us, Lady Aurora…" A blue eye flashed at him for a moment, an annoyance was clear in them. _

_"Boy, how many times have I told you? I am not a LADY. Let me go through this again, for the third time, there are no lords or ladies in this damn towers. There are creeps, mad jackasses, morons, and the projects. Aurora is just fine." It was the twentieth time she had said it actually, every time she looked at him like that he felt she was going to knock him on the head. She had been set in charge of him until he got the hang of this place, though at to him it looked like she took this as a baby sitting job. _

_"Sorry.."_

_"Folkie, sweety, stop being so polite, ok? Here it's not a useful skill; people will use it to trample all over you. Trusted me, I know…" The rounded a corner that ended quiet quickly. Lots of the halls did that in this place, Folken was sure he was going to get lost here if she wasn't here. Her hand fell on something in the shadows that he couldn't see the beeping noise of the small control. She hadn't told him what they were doing; she just pulled him out of bed, the clock reading three (in the morning) cursing about "We are late". Didn't these people know the meaning of sleep? Or were they all Aurora, taking five minute naps with some chemical burning while it's left on the burners. The 'invisible' door slide open to reveal a bright white room. The light hurt his eyes, after half running in the dark corridors of these towers. That was one of the things he didn't understand about this place, everything was in the dark, you worked in dark places but then there were rooms like this one. There was a man in the room, he looked to be a little under Folken's height, gray hairs filled his dark hair. He lacked the dark clock that most of the madoushis wore, though his uniform was the same, black with a blue lining. There was a large set of glass the separated the room from another. A small child in a tattered large blue shirt sat curled up on the floor, hand in its mouth. The white hair cut to short to make it easy to guess its sex. Something become unsettled in his stomach, when what was probably happening came to mind. He was here to witness another project testing. How many more children were here? Yesterday, he had meet two, twins, which he would be in charge of handling. Well, he had thought they were twins Until Aurora had informed him that one, the boy, was a 'copy' created from a personality that had been created in his 'sister's' mind. The red-eyed boy didn't take much of a liking to him, actually boy seemed angry. The girl had been crying. Blood began to pour down from the hand the child was biting on._

_"You're half an hour late…"_

_"Sorry, Kane I got side tracked in the lab.."_

_"I started without you."_

_"Noticed… Self inflicting pain? How long has it been doing that?" The two talked as if he wasn't there. Aurora stood next to the man, writing something down on the clip board she had been carrying here, Kane had one of his own. _

_"For a little while now, I had Axiom go have them set the dragon in sooner. I don't want her biting her hand off.." Folken walked closer tot eh glass, watching the child._

_"Dragon?" He asked lightly, they weren't planning on putting a dragon in that room?_

_"Is he your charge, Aurora?" The man did not answer he question._

_"Ya, thought seeing this would be good for him. He already met 005, and 006." Aurora said, the scribbling of pens seemed to become very fast. "Sweety, not to close to that glass ok? A raging dragon can't break it but she has been able to a few times. We had to be close enough to the door to get out of here if that happens..." He stepped back again; clearly they were not going to pay him much mind. Best he could do was sit here and watch. There was silence in the room again, all except the sound of pens. The metallic door far in the other, larger room opened after a while. A starved looking land dragon came slowly into the large room. He took a same step back; a hidden fear of them was still in the back of his mind. Aurora looked at him for a moment before looking back at the same girl in the room. "Pay attention to what happens, alright Folken? Her adjective is to kill it."_

_"How is something so small, with out any weapons going to do that…?"_

_"You'll see…" Kane said, his pen no longer writing things down. Both madoushis' attention was on the small girl as she slowly, carelessly got to her feet. Her hand still remained in her mouth. There was a roar from the dragon that seemed to shake the glass slightly. The child did not move nor did she flitch. The beast scanned the room, looking for something to eat not doubtfully. The smell of blood from the girl seemed to catch its attention, as it turned to her. It roared again, the sound hurting his ears as it charged forward at her. The girl did not move when it came closer, the dragon didn't seemed to waste its time in crewing, the creature slammed its mouth over her, swallowing the child whole. Pens started writing again; neither of the two seemed to notice that the child had just been eaten alive by the thing._

_"Shes-"_

_"Keep watching Folken. It's not over yet…"_

_"What do you mean? She was just-" There was a hacking noise, which brought his attention back to the dragon. It was choking; the sounds were going from it. The middle of its neck, in one spot, seemed to be growing, expanding as something in side pushed against it. The child couldn't have? The sickening noises didn't last long for the muscles of the neck gave way to what was pushing against it, the head of the dragon fell as its neck busted open. The blood drenched child took to the air. White wings covered in blood, though her eyes were what seemed to embed themselves in his mind. Solid red eyes, angry, hungry for something looked around before focusing on the dragon again. She dove for it, tearing at it with her hands. Blood splattered about. _

_"Her reaction time is up..."Was all the man said as they watched the child, destroying the already dead dragon with her hands, pulling up the heavily scaled skin. Something slammed into the glass, cracking it slightly. The red dragon energests shimmered lightly as it remained embedded in the glass. _

There was a slightly shudder in him as he closed the small door. None of them knew what they could possible face tomorrow. Something so destructive, that if left alone who knew what could happen. Even in the state of mind he first knew her in, she was very strong willed. Even know she was. Standing up, Folken walked over to the open balcony to look at the passing forest below. So many things hanged on a thread now. Zaibach had made a mistake, Dornkirk had made an error. And now, it seemed this generation of the world might have to pay for it. There was never a test, to see how long the symptoms of this drug would last. Days, weeks, months, any of it was possible. So many things could go wrong. He sighed as he leaned against the railing back to the world, looking into his study. He really need some sleep if he was going to stay a wake tomorrow. But the thought of it wasn't very appealing. Looking down at the book in his hand, he flipped to the last set of pages. Not really knowing or caring at this point what was written. It wasn't going to tell him anything knew. There was more recording, this was done on the Ionia. Her moods were different then what was recorded in the being part of this segment. More 'gentle', and shy, there was also some record of her getting along with others. This was different from what he had seen; Rei and Dilandau had had a hard time. He flipped through until the last page. Here what was written was again in Alantian, a change from the Gaian he had been writing in. Frowning, Folken paused to read it.

_Blue moon, 8th_

_It is odd to think it, but today was the first time I've very hurt her really laugh. The young Ionia captain must have said something, or done something to send in her into such a fit. Her personality seems to be coming about well know, Rei is no longer tense around people, or well the Ionia crew anymore. Though, I fear if she remembers what happened so long ago now. That it will change. The compound seems to be working well; she doesn't have too many episodes. The number of berserked fits has come down; the most on average she may suffer is one ever other week. This is very good; Rei is even administering the drug herself. She has a habit of putting it her chest now, to keep Axiom from it. She still does not trust the man, with good reason. Instincts she developed then are still evident now. I am glad that she is slowly recovering from that time period, but with the passed news from the towers I fear this bliss of hers must come to an end._

_They have sent in a request to the head branch, that the original purpose of 009 be reactivated. With the problem of Celtic becoming more of an issue they want the change to see what if all the record data on her is true. This younger madoushi seem not to be very observant. The old madoushi still in the towers that were there during that time have sent in a counter requested, but it is unlikely to be heeded. There is much support behind the original use. I know the control will not counteract Doom's Day…nothing can be can. This younger generation doesn't understand what would happen; they weren't there during that time. They can read the records but never truly understand them. I think its time, I reminded them. I hope she will forgive me, but it maybe the only way._

He closed the book, not caring to read the rest. Ionia and the towers were examples of its power. What she could do in a limited amount of time. If the towers were her target after the she killed the Ionia's crew, who know what would happen if Celtic tried to use her. There was a noise in the study that pulled his attention away form his trail of thought. Celena was standing there, still dressed in black slacks and the light purple tank top.

"Celena?"

"Sorry the door was unlocked, and you didn't answer when I knocked." She seemed nervous about something. She walked slowly out onto the balcony.

"Are you alright? It's late Celena, you going to have to get up early in the morn-"

"Folken be quiet ok? I'm only got the strength to say this once." She said suddenly, as she stood a few feet in front of him. Velvet eyes studying him for a moment as she searched for words to talk with. Why was it woman had the habit of saying that to him when they were going to tell him something? Aurora did it all the time; the woman had rubbed off on to Celena. "I couldn't ever find the right words, or even the right time. Dilly use to call me a chicken all the time, cause I'm always to scared to say what I really thought." Her hands balled into fists. "Aurora said the same thing too; she said if I wanted any body to really notice me that I had to speak up. I listen all the time to her tell me stories about you, and I wonder sometimes why you aren't like that. I know she only told single moments, but only a few times have I ever seen you like that. I…I… want to see you like that, to see you smile or hear you laugh. You never seem happy at all. Sometimes it seems like it, but always a part of you regrets it. You fell sorry for us, for what they put us through. I don't want you to anymore; it's not your fault. I never understood why me, and I don't can anymore. You can't change the past, it's done, and it's over with. All you can do is looked to the future and create something better so that you don't have to look and remember the passed. Folken, I….I…."

"Celena…" He stared to say, as she started to stumble over her words. Tears slipped down her checks as she looked down at the ground. For a moment it look helpless to her, she couldn't say it, not even with she would fact death tomorrow. She shook her head, no she wasn't going to give up know, not when she came this far. Celena looked up at him, ignoring the tears that lightly ran down the sides on her face.

"Folken Fanel, I...I…" No words, she couldn't find the words to say it, to tell him what she wanted to for so long._ Actions are sometimes better then words, they could express more then one could ever say even with all the words in the world. _Aurora had said that once to her, maybe it was time to use the wisdom the woman had given her. The movement was sudden even to her, as she tossed her arms around his neck. Folken had always been taller then her, the blue haired baka always made it hard for her to do this. The kiss was ruff, but what could anyone expect? She had never done this before; she had always dreamed it the other way around. Someone kissing her, but this why was going to have to work, it was the only thing she could do. It was short, even though she liked it, the feel of her arms around his neck, the tasted of his lips. But he was tense, not only was she pushing him against the railing, but she had probably just scared the crap out of him. Letting go on him, she slid back down to the rock floor of the balcony, taking a few steps back from him. Now here was the question that always scared her, why she could never do this; how was he going to react? He was few startled, the look on his face was clear. Had he not expected her feelings for him? Na, Folken could never be that dense.

There was a sudden ping in her chest, a tightening felling. Her passed guess wasn't right was it? He didn't have feeling for the redhead madoushi? He blinked a few times now coming out of his shock, but Celena was too lost in her own thought to even see that. What was she to do now? The only thing she could, turn around and walk out of this room, away from him. She had done her damage; she didn't need to hear the rejection. Celena turned away from him slowly, part of her now really willing to believe it. She was barely was able to walk two steps away from him, when she heard the book in his hand drop to the floor. His hand grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her back to him.

"Celena…." That was all he said, before he kissed her.

* * *

Problems in writing this last part, take one:

**GA1:** gak Problem!

**Sister:** What now?

**Friend:** o great

**GA1:** Celena's confessed her love! What should I have Folken do!

**Sister:** Have her walk out and then he tells her in some intense moment during the next chapter.

**Friend:** No, a girl needs to know now! Have him grab her hand and kiss her back!

**GA1:** ACK! Their both good ideas.. Need third vote! Help Help!

**Other Friends BF**: What?

**GA1:** Vote! A or B!

**OFbf:** umm… they are both such good ideas… ummm….

As you can see which one he voted for.. all of that happened in the afternoon on aim….

Next chapter may take a while, it is the last chapter before the epilogue. So ya.. going to take a lot.. I have evil school which is being a butt this semester. So please hang with me here. R&R


	18. The Grace of Doom

To Tame a Beast

GOMEN!

Ya, sorry for taking so long to up data… and unfortunately, no this isn't the second to last chapter…this is the third to the last chapter…. I got tired of fighting with it… I hate evil writers block… not the block of not knowing what to write… it's the 'I know what needs to be done and what to write….its just arguing with the words I use…' So no, we aren't at the end just yet….. One more chapter, then it'll be at its ending epilogue……. Hopefully n n

**Note:** the chapter's beginning states in the future, and then jumps back into the pasted, working its way back to the point in the beginning of the chapter… but since I kept fighting with what I was writing… the point at the beginning of the chapter will not be reached until the next chapter…so.. hehe… warning of cliff hanger…

* * *

Chpt. 17 The Grace of Doom

It had to be here somewhere. Throughout the course of the bloody chaos he had seen it. Shouts, and cries on the com let him know it was not an illusion. But why couldn't he find if now? Then, the distractions of his duty kept him from going after it. The dark shadow had looked over him once or twice, but it never became nothing more. It had to still be here! Sweat fell down over his brow, but he didn't bother to brush it away, even though it blurred his vision. The muscles in his arm ached, crying out in pain. He was past his limitations. The course of this war's bloody end had taken a hard toll on his body. Moving the guymelef now was just an automatic response. His red exhausted eyes scanned the crimson stained rocks. Bodies had become such a common sight to see here and it was beginning to numb his nerves. The colors of the uniforms were mostly the same though. Celtic had learned its lesson hard, but nothing here had gone as planned. Total mayhem had broken out on this field in the matter of minutes; no one was listening to the orders being called out, not that they could hear them. It had been complete and utterly mayhem. The water that surrounded him felt slightly warm now. This was the sign of overheating in the energist chambers. But he didn't care, he wasn't stopping.

Voices called over the com system, orders were still being given on some part of the field. The battle had all but subsided. Somewhere soldiers of Celtic were still fighting their losing battle. It was pointless now they had lost much of their forces, and probably their king. They were ruler less, and divided up by what little of the Zaibach main forces that were still functional. It had happened too fast. The numbing shock had died down by now, but the reflexes that had developed throughout this battle still remained. Any sudden movement that came below his flying Alseides, he jolted his guymelef to the side. It had to be here somewhere. The flames that flickered around below him could not have killed it. Nothing seemed to be able to do that – fires; death only seemed to feed its rage. The water around him was becoming hotter, if he didn't land soon or turned his guymelef around, it was going to overheat. That was if the machinery didn't lock up first in mid air and send him falling through the sky like a stone. Gripping down on the controls he pushed onward.

"Di..ndau," a voice came crackling on the com, it was the first tine in a while that anything said on the com was for him. Shesta's voice was not very clear; Dilandau was traveling out of his range. "Fo..en is ..allin .. bac …. Vione…. Ple … pond." The words were almost lost behind the static, he could barely understand them. Not that he was really paying any mind to them, his eyes remained scanning the rocky, blood ridden terrain. There was no way, no way in hell he was just going to give up. He has to find it. If he did, it was likely that she would be there.

"Di…dua … ease …. repo…"" The crackling voice came again. The water around him was starting to become uncomfortable. There was nothing else he could do; if the Alseides overheated he could not continue his search. That would do him no good, maybe it was better he returned to the Vione now while he still could, and come back with a fresh guymelef. It was logical, but gods he didn't care. The crackling voice came again, this time none of the words were recognizable. But the noise almost made him over look it. He had almost missed it, laying out on the rocky surface below. The Isponal dragon, its dark exterior seemed to blind into the scotched ground. Letting go of the forward controls, Dilandau let his guymelef plummet to the ground. The drop made his stomach churn; it had not been a good idea on his part. The hot water splashed up onto his face, sending a burning sensation across his cheek. The crash into the ground made the while melef shake, but Dilandau had opened the hatch fast enough as he jumped out. There was no need to look at the damage done to the Alseides during its landing. He already knew that it would not fly again; he had heard the gears snapping when it crashed. The Alseides had landed a little farther away then what he wanted. This place was covered in bodies. Blood ran freely on the slight downward slope like sand through fingers. The grips of his boots had a hard time gripping down as he tried to run up the small rock hill to the black dragon. Once he was close enough, Dilandau stopped. The slick darkness of the Isponal's armor made the guymelef seem so… real... Blood dripped down along its massive legs. Its head curled that was away from him lay on the ground to the left.

"Rei!" Her name left his lips, though he soon her found himself wishing he hadn't done that. A blood freezing growl came from the dragon armor. The neck of the thing begin to uncurl, it seemed so life like. Now he could see the energist chamber that was embedded in the things chest. It seemed the light around the damn thing was being absorbed with each pulse of the drag energist inside the chamber. The red eyes of the head seemed to move around sharply, in a manner same to that of a real dragon. Crimson blood dripped from its half open mouth. The chest plate rose and fell in an irregular pattern making it look as if the armor was breathing. The Isponal dragon seemed to become real as it turned to face him. Fear ceased his mind, as the red eyes focused on to his.. Dilandau had slayed dragons before, he never feared any of them but this Isponal armor was so life like that the idea of it only being armor slipped his mind when he looked straight into the creatures half open mouth. Hot air caressed his face as the armor "exhaled," the smell of kerosene lingered. There was another deep growl that rumbled out of the bloody jaw, which opened and closed slightly in a simulation of the flexing of the jaw. Panic, this was no the first time today that it ceased him, but this was probably the worst. The hot, chemical lined breath caressed his face again. The body began to move, but the back legs re-sent the movement and the upper body crumbled back down to the ground. There was a waver in the deep throated growl of the beast before it died. The rocks beneath Dilandau's feet shook as it fell. The rise and fall of the Isponal's chest stopped, the pulsing in the energist chamber as well. It took time for his mind to register that the threat of the dragon armor was gone, but it took longer for it to grasp something else too. If there was anything he knew about Isponal guymelefs, it was that the armor only "dies" when its pilot does.

"Rei!" Dilandau ran around the fallen head to the left. There was no way, no way that he could let this happen. He had to find her. The rocks crumbled under his feet as he ran ducking carefully under the wing. There was still an icy stinging sensation when he touched the black armor. At least he had chosen the right side to check first. She was rested against the back leg, blood pooled around her. The black shirt was torn in many places, only one strap held it on her shoulders. Cuts lined her tan arms and her bare legs. The black shorts were in no better condition then the rest of her clothes. But, it was her hair that caught his attention the most. The once long locks of her white hair had been cut. There was still some long locks of white hair fell over her shoulders, but the back. It looked as if someone had grabbed the lot of her hair from behind and held it against a sharp blade. Short and ragged was her hair now a large contrast of the look she once had. He eyes were closed there was a trail of blood that dried over her left one.

"Rei?" Dilandau took a step closer to her. There was no responds. Her hand did not twitch, as if she was being woken up from sleep. As he studied her more, he saw it. There was no rise or fall of her chest. Her body was as still as that of the Isponal guymelef.

**Zaibach Count down to Attack on Celtic:** _Eleven Hours Forty-three minutes._

He rolled over in bed, the moonlight seeped through the open curtains illuminating the room. He could see the sleeping figure of the blond next to him. How could they all sleep like tomorrow was just going to be another routine battle. Shesta's chest rose and fell in a rhythmic pattern as the second commander slept. His pillow had been knocked off onto the floor like it always was. The room seemed hot to him, and it was clear that he wasn't the only one feeling that. Shesta lay flat on his back, blankets kicked off. The Vione had been moving at its highest speed for sometime now. The heats from the engines were starting to affect the cold air that normally was circulated throughout the fortress. Miguel rolled back over to lie on his back again to stare up at the gray ceiling. His nerves were jumping a mile a minute. There were still a few hours before they all had to be up to prepared. But he just couldn't sleep. This wasn't a good thing, Miguel knew if he didn't get some sleep he was going to get tired very early in the battle tomorrow. Rolling over again to face the other bed to the right, he stared at Viole's back. Lord, even the joker was a sleep. With a long sigh, he closed his eyes, shutting out the moonlight.

"Can't sleep either, huh?" Viole's voice forced Miguel to reopen his eyes. The boy was now sitting up, feet resting on the floor. His curly hair was pulled back into a loose pony tail. Viole hadn't been asleep as Miguel had thought. He stood up and walked over to his bed. Miguel rolled on to his back, giving his friend room to sit on the edge of his bed. Viole's feet still hung over the side of it. He lay out on his side next to the redhead slayer. Neither of them said anything for a while, both listened to the sounds of the others sleeping. Miguel stared again at the ceiling. "Miguel?"

"Hum?"

"I'm scared…" he turned his head slightly to look at the back of Viole's.

"About tomorrow?" The boy nodded.

"If we… if we have to fight her, she's going to rip us to pieces. None of us could beat her during practice, she just played with us. We don't even know all of what she can do. We've never even seen what she CAN do…" There was a slight pause, then he spoke. "Well, Gatty and Shesta have… but they're sound asleep.. I wonder how they can do that…"

"I know… I think it's because… they aren't thinking about it in the manner we are." Miguel looked up at the ceiling. Were they really going to face her? That red-eyed demon in the hanger the other day, it had scared the shit out of him. If it wasn't for the fact Dilandau was being strangled to death by it, he probably would have stayed frozen to the spot. Dilandau had survived the berserker's kiss once, a brush with death. Could they all survive it?

"Are you two still awake?" Shesta's tired voice broke the silence. The two of them looked at the blond. Tired blue eyes studied them both for a moment before he moved a crossed his bed tot eh chest at the end of it. Opening it without getting off the bed, he rummaged through it for a moment before shutting it again. Shesta tossed a small bottle of white pills at Miguel before falling back on his bed in a sleepy motion. "One each…."

"Sleeping pills?" Miguel turned the bottle in his hand before the boy next to him took it. Shesta roiled on his side to face him, tiredness clearly written on his face.

"Dilandau gave them to me. Said if someone couldn't sleep, to use them.." He yawned slightly. "Gave some to Guimel and Dallet before we all went to bed. You'll be groggy for a few hours when you wake up later, but it'll be alright…" The blond rolled back over to return to his sleep. Viole popped the bottle open and shook out two of the small white things. He handed one over to the redhead before taking the other. Miguel turned the small thing in his hand before popping it into his mouth. The silence came to settle in again while the wait started for the drug to kick in. It took Miguel a while to realize that Viole had not moved back to his own bed. With a light growl, he rolled over to face the back of his friend.

"Viole…"

"Hum..?"

"Go back to your own bed… You're not eleven anymore.." Viole turned his head to look at him. They all had been together for a long time. Miguel and Viole probably knew each other the longest. Both had belonged to the same orphanage. When they were younger this was a common placed thing, the two sharing a bed when one's nerves would not allow them to sleep. Some times the others presences made it easier to sleep.

"Just this once, Miguel?" Sighing, he rolled the other way.

"Ya… Just this once."

**Zaibach count down: **_Seven hours three minutes_

"What do you mean 'we're not going to use her'!" Kaji yelled. He paced about half the tent. Purple eyes flashed at the blue haired woman who remained seated on her wooden throne. The black haired boy was knelt down on the grass, packing away small items into crates. The battle was predicted to move this far into the base camp. In this case, everything they had all worked hard to gain over these long years were being packed up to be moved else where. Though, the only one working on it at the moment was the youngest of the three. "We have worked too long for this just to throw it aside!"

"It doesn't matter, 004. What use will it be now if we lose control of her?" Vickie said lightly. She watched the man pace back and forth. The light blue strains of hair fell over her washed out blue eyes. Her body was feeling tired, exhausted. The eyes of the silver haired man glared at her. "It doesn't not matter now. We can wait a little longer to pay back the beast. And at the same time, exact our revenge…."

"Why not start it NOW?" He stopped suddenly, and faced her. "Let her bring down the best of Zaibach's armies, let the beast cripple them now!"

"Because it would be pointless…" Will answered him. She closed a crate he had been working on. Standing up, he walked over to the frail woman, fixing the cloak that lay over her body. "We must pay back the beast in the same manner that she helped us. Freed us she did, set us alone in this world. So, we must free her, and yet to have out revenge for what was done to us. She must be freed in the capital. Let Dornkirk feel the wrath of his creations, and the beast will finally receive the do reward it has longed for."

"Whose side are you on Will…?" Kaji growled. The anger he felt was fed by a different sources as 003 stood to oppose his opinion. Growling he wheeled around on his heels and walked out of the tent. When the flap opened the new light of the sun coming up over the rocky low lands of the Antragonous Mountains shown lightly in before the flap closed again. Vickie looked at the slowly moving flap. The tent returned to its silence. Her body slumped down in the chair.

"It takes too much….."

"You turned him out didn't you?" She cocked her head to face the black haired boy.

"Yes, his anger was becoming to much to control. He will likely not return for sometime." He body slumped over suddenly; a gasp of pain escaped her lips. He grabbed hold of her shoulder, and held her up. "I am dying…… That much is evident…"

"Yes... I know…"

"Umm… I am glad you are more loyal to me then him, 003."

"He has always been a fool. Always rash…" When she was sitting up straight again, Vickie leaned her head against the back of the chair. Her washed out blue eyes not looking at anything.

"When the time comes, take her. I will not survive to see it. Our idea, our dream." There was a long sigh that passed her lips as she looked at him again. "Zaibach will win this battle…"

"You will remain then?"

"Yes, when the time is perfect, leave the field, 003. I will make sure he won't interfere." Closing her eyes, she shut out the world around her. "Finish what we have worked so hard for. Let them feel the wrath…The wrath of the beast…."

**Zaibach Count down: **_Six hours Fifty-nine minutes_

The Vione hanger was in a complete chaos. Soldiers were running about back and forth preparing for the launch of the seventy-six guymelefs. It was amazing how fast the hanger crew of twenty-four had grown over night. Seven smaller fortresses now gathered around the Vione. All the lower ranked commanders in this area had joined up with the main force. There wasn't going to be any ground forces coming though. No, this final battle was going to be nothing more then guymelefs. If the berserker was used, these would be their best bet to beat her. Dilandau watched the soldiers below half heartedly. His mind was far away, some where else. Shesta was down below him giving directions to the third and second wing slayers. The poor boys looked afraid. They were all afraid of her.

"At this rate, we might just lose this battle…" Skylar's voice said. Dilandau turned his head to face the blond general that now stood next to him. He was looking down at the same group of soldiers that he had just been looking at., before his eyes scanned the rest of the hanger. There was a sad look about his face. He looked at them all. The man was right, fear would always bring the down fall to any man. No matter how strong he was. Skylar's hands were gripped down tightly against the railing. "I guess they all have a right to be. We aren't just going against Celtic anymore…. I remember the first time I worked with her. It was her first mission, not a field test but a real mission. Her objective was just to annihilate the fighting force of a rebellion but the fight went into one of the villages near by. In less then two hours, she had killed over four hundred people… A hundred and seventy-eight of that were loyal civilians. When she returned to the Rosegurd, she was still slightly berserk. She killed two of my officers in a raging fit. One of them was the correspondent who had spent twenty minutes trying to get her to respond to orders. After that, I took up doing it because no one would touch the com system when it was on her frequency. They all said it was cursed…" Skylar laughed emptily. His eyes did not leave the empty guymelef seat where the Isponal had been kept. "If they use her Dilandau, we will be forced to kill her. There is no other way. Call it the 'berserker's curse,' if you will. No matter how well she knows you, Dilandau, she won't hesitate to kill you."

Dilandau's red eyes moved away from the blond general to look at the chaos below them. He knew the man was right, but there was still a problem. Could he do it? Could he kill her or would this feeling interfere? His hands gripped down tightly on the railing for a moment. Eyes scanned the room before they settled on his sister, who was speaking to Folken. She was smiling, seeming to not notice the possible doom that hung over them all. Folken was without his cloak, a first for what seemed like ages. There was a light smile on his face as Celena spoke to him, and even though the doom was not on her mind, it was clearly on his. Dilandau was sort of surprised when he didn't ask Dilandau to have Celena stay behind. He had done that before, when it was evident that Celena didn't understand the importance of something. But, maybe he didn't because he knew Dilandau couldn't. Celena won't stay behind even if he ordered her too. He watched her give the man a quick kiss on the cheek before jumping into her melef, braces on her arms glittered from the light. When he returned he was going to have to have a "talk" with the Strategose it seemed.

"Good-luck, Dilandau…."Skylar's voice pulled him back. "We're going to need all the luck we can get…

_xXxXxXx_

_She ran across the glass, ignoring the pain. It didn't matter; her body had become numb towards it. Her short white hair fell down around her face, covered in sweat. The glass was starting to get thinner as she ran on. Now she had to find her way through glass walls that were so hard to see. But know she knew that all she had to do was follow the trail of glass fragments. It was the only way to find her way through the maze of invisible glass walls. The crying sobs were becoming nothing more then whimpers now. There was a light to that grew as she ran towards it. But this light, it did nothing to chase the darkness that was around her. But that was where she had to get to, she knew that. Her feet stumbled. The glass walls were becoming harder and harder to find a way through. The glass path was becoming so scarce that the pain in her feet was becoming noticeable again. Though now, she could hear the glass shattering somewhere. The light was getting bigger. She struggled to make it there._

_"Don't worry. I'll help you..." She whispered continuously. She struggled along. The sobbing whispers began to start again. There was a sound of rattling chains before another glass wall broke. She heard it and continued to run until she ran into one of the walls. The force of it made her fall backwards onto the ground. No glass cut into her hands this time, it was here that she realized that her path of glass was gone. There was a cry of distress. She frantically looked about her. Nothing, the black ground held no glass trail for her to follow. She had reached the end of the line. No, No! This couldn't be the end. Not yet! She let out a cry of her own distress. She continued to look about the ground. The sounds of chains moving came again, glass somewhere behind her shattered. There was a sob, but this time it was loud. Her reddened-sapphire eyes shot up to look through the invisible wall. She could see it now! The bright white light wasn't light but feathered wings, wings covered in blood. The sobs came again from the creature that held these wings. Her body was bare covered only by the long locks of white hair. Hands pulled helplessly at chains that upwards. The she-demon cried again revealing razor sharp teeth that lay within her mouth. The little girl stood up and looked at the she-demon who struggled helplessly against her chains. Jumping to her feet, she began to pound against the invisible glass wall to break it._

_"I'm here. I'll help you." She cried out. "I'll help you see, remember what you've forgotten she-demon… You're not alone!"_

_xXxXxXxXx_

**Zaibach countdown: **_Four hours Twenty-nine minutes forty-three seconds_

"They're surrounding us as we speak!" The Celtic king yelled. The armor he wore hung loosely on the old man's frame. Vickie watched him from were she sat. The tent was now empty now; the chair was the only thing left. Soon it would be empty of that as well. The chest armor that now hung on her thin frame felt heavy against her. It was hard now just to sit up straight. The long locks of blue hair were pulled back into a loose braid to keep it off of her face. A patient for this man was no longer existent at the moment. Will would be back soon to retrieve her, and move her out into the open. Once she had been able to walk on her own, shakily, but she could walk. Now her legs were too flimsy and would collapse under her weight. Not that this ignorant man knew that. She sighed as the king continued to yell. "And now you're telling me NOT to use this weapon that you had me capture! I've put a lot of time and money into this Vickie! Even my heir just to retrieve this damn….THING! I haven't been paying you for anything less! If she's such a vital weapon, then why not test her n-"

"Test, my lord?" She said slowly, cutting off the old man. He stopped in his rampage to glare at her. The old king never liked it when she did that. Hadn't since the day the three of them appeared at his palace two years ago. The long years of planning, the waiting had all but paid itself off now. So close, so close they were, yet she couldn't let anything stand in her…no their way any longer. "There is no 'testing', my lord for this weapon. You have but one shot…."

"One shot?" She could see the anger fueling in his grey eyes as he studied her. "So I have to pick the one time I want to use her?"

"Yes."

"Then NOW would be it! You damned woman. Celtic has only one stand left, it's either here or never!" His voice echoed in the empty tent, as his fit continued. "If I don't use this 'weapon' Celtic will be destroyed!"

"You should have planned better then my lord…" Vickie said coolly. A smile graced her face which was now mostly hidden by shadows. The king stopped, and stared at her as if something just hit him. Something he should have seen a long time ago.

"Planned…..Better?" There was a slight step back as his hand fell to the handle of his sword. "Planned better! This was all your plan! It was your idea!" There was a chuckle of laughter from her.

"Well then… That tells you something doesn't, puppet?"

"Puppet?" He took a step forward, drawing his sword. Though he would never get a chance to use it. A ripple of strong wind burst through the tent. Its source was not from the outside however, but from the woman sitting in the middle. The long braid fluttered up around her, dancing on the invisible breeze. The bangs that had been hiding her eyes, too, now danced off her face revealing not the washed out blue eyes but solid white ones. No pupils broke the whiteness of them as they fixed themselves on the old king. He gasped dropping his sword to raise his hands to his neck as if to pull something off that had tightly wrapped itself around it. Gasping for breath, he struggled against the invisible hand.

"I'm afraid, puppet…"She laughed. The old king fell to his knees, still fighting for breath. "You've out lived your usefulness. Pray that the Gods will forgive your petty soul…" There was a loud snap as his neck was broken. The Celtic king's body fell limp to the ground. She smiled slightly and leaned back in her 'throne', partially retracting her power. It felt wonderful to finally be free of that nuisance. Eyeing the dead body she frowned, now thing of the problem that she had now created. A problem that could be fixed somewhat, but required more effect then that that went into killing him.

"You killed him?" Vickie looked up to study the boy that stood by the flap of the tent. The black armor suited him fine, though the look on Will's face was not a pleasant one. He walked slowly around the body towards her. "We still needed him……."

"Um? O, I just kill off the annoying part about him… Now he'll be a quiet, obedient puppet… Much easier to handle…" She shrugged slightly. "Where's 004?"

"Seeing to the last preparations for the melefs.."

"And Doom's day?" He patted the breast pocket on the armor. "Good, then everything is ready."

"I don't think he expects what you have planned, but…………" The young boy frowned and looked to one side.

"It's alright… Soon it will be over. Soon all this waiting will have paid off." She looked back down at the bed king. "And Zaibach will meet the same fate……"

**Zaibach countdown: **_four minutes twenty-six seconds_

She opened her eyes slowly to stare up at the yellowish colored tent. The crates around her seemed more then the last time she had come around. The grass below her felt cold to the touch against her sweet coated skin. The black shirt felt damp, and clung to her. There was still a pounding in her skull, which sent pain coursing through her body but the pounding wasn't as persistent. The sickening feeling in her stomach had subsided now, and was replaced with the hunger for food. Hopelessly she pulled at her binds. She rolled off of her back onto her side. Her arms hurt like hell, whoever left her on her back with her hands tied behind her was a moron. A breeze came through the tent flap, making her shake from the cold. She must have sweated out the drug by now. If that damn bastard was still alive, she was going to kill him! Struggling against the ropes that bounded her legs and arms, she fought to free herself. With luck, she would be able to find the Silencer before anyone noticed she was missing. No matter now much she hated the madoushi; she needed to get back to Folken. Something wasn't right; the pounding in her skull was not from that drug. She could feel it now, breaking it's chains slowly breaking free and raising to the surface. The counter drug was in her chest, and if Folken had some since, would have gone through the damn thing. He probably would have found the other half of her file that was tucked away. When she got back to the Vione, she would probably get an ear full about lying to him. Foot steps, she could hear them, someone walked into the tent. Frozen to the spot, she closed her half freed hand on its ropes and listened. The steps were light, and careful. Whoever it was, it seemed that they didn't want anyone to know that they were in here. All to hell, she moved her hand again to free it quickly. She only needed one hand free to untie her legs and with those she would be able to move around. Her white bangs fell over her eyes, making it hard to see. Damn it all, she was really going to have to cut those.

"I'd figured by now you would be awake….Nine." She froze at the sound of the male voice, one of them that she had heard when she had first woken up. The silver haired man stood not to far from her, black armor seemed to be a large contrast against the area. Purple eyes studied her hard as he looked over the broken ropes of her half freed hand but said noting about it as he walked closer. " I would think for it to work faster you'd have to be conscious…."

"For what to work faster?" Her voice was harsh, and dry. The taste of her dry mouth wasn't very pleasant now that she noticed it. The man, Kaji, didn't respond to her question as he knelt down next to her. He pulled a bottle out of his breast pocket along with a small syringe. She didn't need him to answer now as her eyes settled on the enigma on the bottle. "N-no…."

"She's wrong.. Their both wrong. Now is the time…" He ignored the small cry that came from her as she struggled to free herself. The ropes cut into her wrist as she moved her hand fiercely, but he made no move to stop her as he inserted the syringe into the bottle and filled it with the clear liquid. "None of them understand that it is now that it should be done. There would be a release for you in Zaibach, only here with two armies would you find it. Let those pathetic failures feel the wrath…It was their fault….Their fault…"

"N-no, please…." She struggled to move away from him. He pushed her down on her back again, trapping her hands beneath her. He held the long needle over her heart for a moment while he grain control over her struggle just long enough from him to get his target. As he set the long needle in to her heart, a scream filled her mind. The high pitched scream burned in her ears, but no one else could hear it. Her body lay in shock, and he with drew the needle quickly and stood. There was no movement from her was he walked away, her eyes remained fixed at the spot he once was at. With each pulse of her heart the waves shot through her body, the scream of pain and anger subsided into a scream for lust. The once cold skin of her body now burned, and the normal sense of her body seemed to enhance themselves with each moment. She could smell the sweat of the soldiers outside some distance away as they prepared for the on coming attack. With each pulse of their hearts, she could almost feel the warm blood that coursed through their bodies. Her chest felt heavy as the want, the lust grew inside her with each heart beat. The pounding in her head no longer existed. Struggling against the ropes now, she lashed her body about, the throbbing that ached through her body sent mixed emotions, feelings along her spine. Biting down on her tongue, the taste and smell of the blood flooded her senses. A rapture outcry escaped her lips. Then her hand finally broke free, the scream matched that of the one only she could hear.

**Zaibach countdown:**_ zero, Launch at will_

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Ya again… I figured you would actually like to read something instead of waiting for another month… which is how long it is probably going to take me with school starting up soon….and me being in dual enrolment n.n don't wanna go to collage a year early….

Well, anyways.. hope you enjoyed it… tell me in a review… yes a review see the little button to the left of you screen? I live for reviews…. Not for the stupid counter thing….. So review!


	19. For the Strength You Gave Us

It's only been what? Two months short of a year?

I really do apologize to those of you who have read this story from its shaky start to the dragging end. I want to do this story justice and give it the end it needs… But… with my senior year of high school, working, college stuff, and my parent's divorce this last year has really sucked for my writing. I refused to rush this ending to make up for it.. So I guess I'll continue dragging these ending out until then. Later I'll go back and join chapters 18 through 20 when I am done… or just 19 and 20 which ever I feel like doing.

But I figured after waiting so long I owed you guys something…. So enjoy what I have gotten down.

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Chpt. 18 _For the Strength You Gave Us_

"Dragonslayers! Advance!" Dilandau shouted over the intercom as he gripped down on the controls of the Alseides. He could hear the other generals as orders were being shouted off. They had surrounded the Celtic army, giving them no chance of an escape. Over head, long range crima claws flew through the air as the archer units stayed behind the moving main force. Over the open com, Dilandau could hear Celena rambling out coordinates were the next wave would fly over. Now he was sort of glad the Ocuswind was a long ranged melef. His sister would be out of most of the danger as long as Celtic didn't break the lines. Not much time passed since orders were given to move out when the clashed with Celtic's first wave of left over guymelefs. The king of Celtic had kept most of them, only giving the late prince an eighth of the units. However most of the ground soldiers were gone. This was why this battle would be done with guymelefs mostly. This was actually a saver of all the ground units that sometimes got crushed under the feet of their giant comrades.

"Miguel, Viole take the left flack along with third string! Dallet, Guimel the right with second!" Shesta yelled over the intercom as Dilandau braced his unit as an enemy guymelef took a swipe at him. The lower ranked slayers followed the orders without hesitation, their designated leaders taking full command as they engaged. A few minutes later the Skylar's voice came on yelling at someone for there stupidly and not paying attention. Jyle's and Deamor's voices followed shouting orders, the chaos of the open com was always a nuisances. Dilandau ignored them as he concentrated on the battle unrolling before him. The Celtic soldiers kept on coming at him no matter how many he destroyed. It was idiotic to fight blindly and not have some tactic. At the rate they kept coming, this battle would be over before anyone really had a chance to think. Hopefully, that meant he would get a chance to find 009 before they could use her. Dilandau gripped down harder on the controls. The cold water around him rippled from the after shock of a crima claw being released. Yes, he would make sure that didn't happen, he had to make sure to keep Skylar from doing what he said. The man would keep his word, Dilandau knew that all two well.

"What the fuck!" Deamor's voice pulled the silver haired commander out of his trail of thought and back to the world around him. "When did Celtic get a hold of Zaibach melefs!"

"What?" Dilandau flicked on his com link to allow him to partake in the conversation on the open link. Though, it seemed that he did it at the same time as the others giving him a large amount of feed back.

"T-there's a gray melef over here! Its got a stealth cloak and everything but I don't recognize the model!" Deamor's voice came again, but it seemed rasp as if the boy was having troubles. "Damn this kid is-" The com link went silent.

"Deamor?" Skylar's voice came on.

"Hey, Demon Clan! Respond!" Jyle's voice followed. "Can any of you pick them up?"

"No, the only ones I can hear are our units..." Dilandau said as he played with the intercom trying to get a signal while at the same time pay attention to the battle in front of him. "Did they get wiped?"

"Couldn't have-"

"Dilandau!" Celena's voice shouted suddenly, cutting off Skylar. "I can see them, Deamor is engaged with the gray unit. Their com system must be getting interference. There are two other units like that one. A black one in sector six and there's a white one still in the base camp."

"Where the hell did they come from...?" Jyle cursed.

"That's not all, Dilly..."

"What else is there-" Celena didn't need to answer. The loud roar of an anger dragon was enough. Dilandau looked in the direction of the enemy's base camp to see the black Isponal dragon rise up into the air. Fire seemed to be blazing out among the tents. Several expositions followed the dragon's call of death as it circled the camp once before taking higher into the air. "Rei..."

xXxXxXxXx

It was amazing how fast the peaceful rocky plains could become the center of a bloody battle. Over the horizon, the losing battle raged on. Flames moved a crossed the battling guymelefs as they danced their dance of death. A smile graced her face as she watched from what was still a safe distance away from it all. Soldiers ran about behind where she sat on her wooden throne. They were what was left of Celtic's once proud foot soldiers. Now all they could do was stand back and watch the guymelef units. That and protect their old king. She laughed slightly as her now white eyes looked to the man standing next to her. There was no emotion on the empty, dead face. Not that any of them knew that. O no, now the king was a perfect puppet. She had complete control over him. Though even with the heat of high noon cooling off, the dead flesh was going to start to smell. Hopefully by then the Zaibach army would be invading the base camp. Yes, they would come into the trap laid out for them; she smiled as she looked to the burning horizon. The other two should be engaged now, 003 would be returning before to long. If 004 followed she would deal with him. The fool was being to rash, but he had been corporative. She shifted her eyes to the only guymelef that remained here. The sun light danced over the white exterior. It stood up gracefully, which scared some of the soldiers who stood guard around it. Moving it had become so natural now, she barely had to concentrate on it and it would move at her will. Yes, this was what Zaibach had wanted back then, the ability to control a metal creature without a pilot inside. This way the lost of life was less and there could be more melefs made. Except, she no longer had much movement in her own body, this was the price she had to pay. Blue hair fell over her face as she watched the deadly machine move. Claws slid out with ease, and retracted. The melef had never been designed to hold a pilot, so it was over equip since there was no need of room cockpit. A gray cannon slipped out from underneath the "lips" of the melef and retracted as she continued a weapons check. Shame she couldn't test them out, but that would mean killing a few Celtic soldiers. She couldn't have them figuring out what was happening like their king had. They had to keep up this little play just for some time more.

"Stop her! Don't let her near-" There was a scream. Voices were yelling, shouting orders along with voices of panic and death. Vickie snapped her head to the side to see a few soldiers running away, fear written in their faces before a blur of white and red engulfed them. She moved so quickly, not sparing a moment to make an art of what she was doing. The she-demon tore at the limps and bodies of the soldiers with a long sword of hers and a small dagger. Feathered wings fluttered slightly to keep the she-demon some what in the air in case she had to take off if needed. Blood dripped steadily from were the wings came out of her back. A few minutes later, there was an explosion behind her. The force almost knocked Vickie out of her chair. Wood flew about, fire had spread into the tents that had been behind her that held supplies of black powder that was going to be used in the cannons that were set up.

"The fool..." the words left her mouth as she watched the she-demon. The dead king moved around to the opposite side of where he had been, drawing his sword. She could not fight but that didn't means he had no defense. The puppet would work fine for this. A head went flying throw the air as the she-demon ripped it off of one the soldiers before turning around to face the dead king. There was a rapturous outcry as it sent the dagger flying through the air and struck its target in the neck. The dead king's body wavered slightly from the force but it did not fall. The blood red eyes of the she-demon blinked as if confused before it screeched and ran forward. The two swords clashed again and again. Though, Vickie would soon find it hard to control the dead puppet of hers. Joints in the dead king's body had stiffened, which made the dead thing not very agile. She missed the block, and the she-demon sliced off the Celtic's king's head. It jumped back to watch it's prey fall, but when it just rose it's sword again the she-demon growled. The growl sounded so much like a dragon or some sort of beast lusting for blood. The growl continued as the she-demon ran in again, cutting away at the rest of the limps until the dead body fell to the ground. The she-demon kicked at the body and snorted. There was no pleasure in killing something that was already gone. Picking up its dagger, the she-demon tuned its attention to the only living thing left. Vickie didn't flinch away as the she-demon walked slowly towards her. There was a grim look on its face; blood lingered in the long locks of white hair. The wings of the she-demon rippled slightly as they were folded down. "It was not our wish to do it here. Your wrath should be on the one's who created us. 004 was a fool to do it here."

"..." There was no response form the she-demon as she stopped a ways away from her. The sword in its hand wavered a bit as it pointed it down. The deep throated growl returned as the red-eyes settled on her.

"But, if it must be here. I will not let your wrath be wasted..." The she-demon lunged forward, nut didn't make it very far as an invisible force knocked her back. The dagger flew through the air and smacked into the wood of her throne not to far from her head. The she-demon spate as it fell to its knees, thrashing about. The sword chattered to the ground when the she-demon let go to it, hands flying to its neck to tare at the invisible force that held onto it. Bloody wings flapped as the she-demon tried to take to the air. Another invisible force knocked it back down onto the ground. It was then the she-demon stopped, wings halted half spread again to take to the air. One hand rested on its neck, blood dripping slowly from the scratch marks. The she-demon's eyes lay focused on the blue haired woman. Turmoil raged in the still form. Vickie smiled slightly; the beast was under her control for the time being. "I never truly thought I would have the honor of seeing you again, demon of nightmares. We all thought for the longest time, that you have been lost. Buried to far underneath that fake shell to resurface. Though, I do not know whether this meeting should be counted as a blessing or a curse." She turned away from the she-demon to look out onto the raging battle field.

"For someone who's about to die, you're awfully calm about it..." Her head snapped back around to look at the she-demon. Nothing had changed, the beast had not moved. It didn't even look as if the creature had just spoken. She must have been hearing things, a reflection of her own thoughts. The she-demon couldn't have been the one, the ability to vertically communicate; any type communication was not possible in this state. Doom's Day brought out the creature trapped in its human shell to the fullest. Simple human abilities were lost to it; all the beast could understand was its own instincts. And yet... "Surprised are we, white eyes?"

"How?"

"Will fear take you as well?" The she-demon mocked, a crude smiled appeared on its face. Struggling again to stand, the red eyes did not move from her. "Why do you keep me trapped? You can not deny your fate. Death is a glories thing that only I can bring." There was an odd chuckle as the she-demon was knocked back down to the rocky ground. "Temper... You wish my wrath upon others. And yet you do not seem to understand. All will feel it, I lust for it. Blood... Death... Fire... All will stain these grounds until my hunger is feed."

"You will stay put..." The grip she held on the she-demon tightened. There was a sharp growl as the beast scratched at its neck. "The fool must have under dosed the drug. Moron can't even do that right." The beast stopped after a few minutes gasping for air. "There is no point, you can't break free."

"A..." There was another chuckle, the cruel smiled returned on the she-demon's face. "I remember this... There is a smell that lingers on you. So old, so faded... but still lingering..._Madoushi_..." The chuckle came again as the red eyes shifted away from her upon her wooden throne to the battle field and then back to her again. With what little control she had over her dying body, Vickie tightened her hands on the arm rest that the sound of that name. Where was 003?

"I am like you... You were the one who freed me..." Calmly she spoke maybe some remembrance would keep the she-demon still. "Will your blood lust have you kill something you freed?"

"All will fell my wrath..." The she-demon repeated. The cruel smiled that once graced its blood covered lips faded away. The sounds of battle seemed to be forgotten as the world around them was set aside. There were no more words as one projected studied the other. The steady hot wind ruffled the blood stained wings that were partially folded. The chest of the she-demon rose and fell, the sounds of the struggled breathes were the only thing that really stood out against the sounds of battle. Vickie frowned as she watched the she-demon. For something that was supposed to be a perfect weapon, it was easy to contain. Maybe the reports had been a lot more exaggerated then they had thought. The calm look on the she-demon started to slide into a look of boredom. As if it was in control here, that it matter not that in a single second, a single thought its neck could be snapped in half. There was a look of calculation in the blood red eyes. A berserker was not supposed to be like this. Berserkers went into battle head on, without a plan. There was no well done thought into their movements, no planning, nothing. And yet something here was... Vickie narrowed her white eyes on the bored face of the she-demon that was slowly becoming empty and emotionless. This berserker was planning, over more calculative. The only thing that seemed to bring this creature in line with other berserkers was its strength. Could this project, then, truly be called a berserker? There as a twitch of movement as the she-demon tried to move. The invisible hold tightened even more.

"You WILL not move..."

"I can see that..." There was a growl in its throat as it spoke. "I won't get close enough... But there are more then on way..."

"To do what, she-demon?" The cruel smile appeared again, Vickie was really starting to wish she could just snap the damn things neck. She was becoming unease by the look on the creature's face. How long was it going to take you, Will?

"Many ways..." the she-demon said again, not answering the question. The breeze that had been forgotten blew a crossed the rocks, the heat burned at her cold skin. Vickie watched, not realizing what was happening as the wind tossed about the she-demons braid. The white hair tainted with locks covered in blood tossed about in the breeze that slowly fainted away only to return again. Each time the breeze died it came back faster, and stronger. Like the beating... of wings. The realization of what the she-demon was doing had come too late. The calm look, the empty expressions were all signs of it and Vickie hadn't seen it happening. The beast was calling to her dragon, which was now responding. All of her attention then turned away from the calm, silent she-demon to her guymelef. The large, white armor turned too slowly at its puppet master's call. A thunderous roar burned in the air as the sleek black dragon fell through the sky down upon her white guymelef. Pain shot up through her shoulder as the dragon sank its teeth into the armor plate of the guymelef's shoulder.

"N-no!" Vickie cried out she released all control over anything around her. Focusing her mind upon the white giant as it thrashed about trying to knock the dragon off. Her body thrashed about as well, pain shot up along the limps she had no control over. The shoulder cracked as the bone within was crushed to pieces, blood poured down soaking into her shirt as the skin was shredded by an invisible force. The black Isponal dragon tore at the white guymelef, ripping up the plated armors. The guymelef was unable to shake the dragon off and thus could not attack it. Soft foot steps moved over the rocky ground towards the wooden throne in which Vickie was thrashing about in until the useless body of hers was pinned up against it. The white Guymelef lay broken and pinned on the ground. The dagger that had been embedded into the wood was yanked out by a bloodied tan hand. Gasping for breath through the pain that coursed through her body, she turned her head slightly to see the she-demon standing there. With the dagger turning in her hand, it looked out over to the white guymelef and the black dragon then out to the fires of the other battle that played out before them.

"So many..." The blade of the dagger cut into the she-demons hand as it turned, for the beast was holding it wrong. "All will feel my wrath... For those who seek me for a tool do not understand. I am the beast, untouched, untamed. There is nothing I fear, death is a blessing I will seek." The dagger was tossed into her bleeding left hand. The right dropped to the she-demon's side as she spoke again. "But, death is also the curse...that is rendered by me. "The she-demon's hand flexed as it slammed the dagger back into the wood.

xXxXxXx

"Damn it!" Deamor gripped down on the guymelef control. This was crazy, since when did Celtic ever have these kinds of melefs? The guymelef moved so quickly it seemed impossible. There was no way that someone could pilot a large machine like that. The pilot had to know all the moves his enemy was going to make before they knew themselves. It didn't help him that none of his men could hear his orders. They were all fighting blindly without any strategy. Whatever was blocking their intercom link was strong. Even the short distance radio wasn't working. The only times that there was a good signal was if he was right on top of his men. But even then it wasn't strong enough to get more then a muffled word or static. The damn radar was on the fritzes as well. There was no way to tell how many were around them, and if the other units were coming to their aid. Liquid metal dripped from his melef's right arm. The bastard had sliced the damn thing in half. So all he had left was the left arm, which was just great, Deamor was right handed not left. At the rate this was going, he was on the loosing end of the whole thing. He was loosing to much liquid metal, and without that, there was no way to form a weapon. "Bastard! Stop moving!"

xVxVxVxVx

"Piece of cake... Zaibach, you're embarrassing yourself with these kinds of soldiers..." He laughed mockingly as he sliced away at the poor Zaibach units. Silver hair fell in front of his eyes as they darted about from one melef to the next. They were all in disarray. With all the Celtic units gone they should be able to handle one enemy unit without breaking a sweat. They out numbered him by seven or well, now it was by four. He smiled as he quickly retracted the long crima claws from the three units he just rammed through. They must be making the shells of these melefs with a lighter metal now in days. How much he had missed the battle field. For to long had they been hiding from the eyes of the madoushi, from the cursed Zaibach Empire, but now, now Zaibach would reap the rewards it had sown. They would see why they should not have missed with the natural course of nature. They will experience first hand the destruction, the raw power of their creations as it is released among them. His eyes glanced at the small timer that sat by his head, the numbers counted down steadily. It was getting close to the time that he would have to abandon the battle field. The low douse that he had given the she-demon would take slightly more time to work but the ending effect should be the same.

"Kaji..." A cool, annoyed voice came on his intercom. The only one that would work through his jammers. He did not respond to the call as he sliced off the arm of the Zaibach commander's unit. There was a slight crackle from the com. "I know you can hear me..." Silence continued to be his answer to Will, as he rammed a claw through another unit. Three left. "Don't think your silence will help you. Vickie is dead..."

"001 was going to die anyways... So what?"

"We were all in this together, 004."

" Together? Ha!" He laughed as he slowly tore another melef unit to pieces. "Only in the ending result..."

"You won't be leaving this battle alive, 004. No one will be..."

"Well then..." Kaji launched a single claw into one of the two units that were left before turning to the commander's unit. "We will just have to see about that then..." A claw sank unto the units chest, water poured down along the claw. He had enough time to withdraw both of them as the warning systems' began to go off. "Yes, we'll just have to see..."

xXxXxXx

Why were they all coming at him? Didn't they get it already? Dilandau slammed his controls down hard as he maneuvered around the enemy unit's attack before lodging a claw in its side. The black dragon had fallen out of his view for some time now, but he could still hear its chilling roar. He had to find her, to stop her, to... Lords, there were so many things running through his mind all at once that he couldn't concentrate on what he was doing! There was a chaos of orders being shouted over the intercom. Dilandau could hear Dallet ordering withdraw of the second string. Celena's voice was calling out coordinate orders, in which the area was then showered in a blanket of crima arrows. If seemed the blunt of all of Celtic's forces were focused here. Deamor was in need of assistance, but at the moment no one could get away to help him. Another melef charged forward at him. The impacted forced Dilandau to take a few steps back. His body was starting to feel worn out. The long ride here had taken more out of him then he thought it would and with the lack of sleep hanging over his head it wasn't helping much. Shesta's unit knocked the enemy guymelef off of him. Sometimes Dilandau was glad heis slayers were over protective of him.

"Dilandau-sama?"

"Ya, I'm fine..." He answered the worried voice. The blond's unit wavered for a moment before moving on. Dilandau remained still for a while longer scanning the field. At least this wave was dying down but it wouldn't take long for the enemy troops to gather again and begin a new strike. The alarm systems around him started to go off, warning of an incoming unit. Dilandau jolted his melef to the side just before a blue fire stormed across the ground. "What the?" That was a first. Any other time Dilandau had seen fire do that was when a Zaibach unit leaked raw, unrefined liquid metal. Did someone get hit? The com system went on the fritzes before he could call out, ask if everyone was still in one piece. In a rush to duck out of the blue fires way, Dilandau took to temporary flight. The crackling of the intercoms broke slightly.

"He- can anyo- me?" Viole's voice came on, clearly annoyed.

"Second stri – withdr-" voices tried to scattered commands but by the way Dilandau could see his men acting, it was likely no one could hear. What in Gaea was happening? Did Celtic have jammers? No, that was to unlikely unless the jammers were stolen from a Zaibach factory, but none of those had been hit. Dilandau gripped down on his controls, aggravated. What the fuck!

"And fear sets in... as chaos begins." A voice, unknown to Dilandau came onto the intercom clear as day just before something slammed into the Alseides. The red eyed general fought to regain control of his melef as if hurled down onto the ground.

"What the! What hit me!" Dilandau cursed as he regained control just in time to keep his melef from crashing into the ground. Something touched down not to far from him. Turning the Alseides to face it, Dilandau was taken back in surprise. Its design was old, and it looked a lot larger then he ever thought it would have been but it had to be in that class. It was an Alsa 6 design, but Zaibach had stopped producing those things decades ago. There could be no mistaking it, even if there were only seventeen Alsa 6 units ever mad, Dilandau could recognize that thing anywhere. He had after all based all of the Dragonslayer units after its design. Alsa 6 had stopped being made due to the fact they were to hard to pilot. The G's created while flying that thing were enough to snap its pilot to pieces. Alsa 6 also created to much of a "down pull" on the pilot's arms and legs, which had to be inserted into the control panels. The Olney series (which Celena piloted) was like that slightly, that was way Celena had to wear bracers on her arms, but the "down pull" was only created after she released too much liquid metal in the form of a crima arrow without letting her melef's arm liquid chambers to refill and release the air. There was also another thing about the Alsa 6 units that made them hard to use was its weapon selection. That could explain where the blue fire had come from though. Alsa 6 could release a large amount of raw, unrefined liquid metal over its targets, reducing them to nothing but piles of melted components. Good thing Dilandau moved when he had or he wouldn't be standing were he was at the moment. When designing the Dragonslayer's units Dilandau had removed that "liquid cannon" with an acid cannon. Even though dumping hot liquid on your enemy's proved useful, it also depleted your reserves. But, Alsa 6 units didn't use crima claws, so there was no point in worrying about it. No, instead Alsa 6 unit's main weapons were two crima swords. Only a certain amount of liquid had to remain to make those. The Dragonslayer's units used both cream claws and the swords that was why he head removed the crima cannon. There was another thing also that made a bigger difference between the two, Alsa 6 was larger. It was over loaded and thus had to be larger to hold the large liquid chambers. The Dragonslayer's compared to it was like sizing a human to a full frown land dragon.

The enemy unit stood still in front of him, as if waiting for something. Static roared over the intercoms, signaling that they were being blocked. Dilandau gripped down on his controls, the cold water around him splashed up a bit into his face as he moved. Exhaust escaped from the arm pieces of the Alsa 6 as the silver liquid dripped down the open sections on the arms. The crima liquid slowly created the wicked looking twin swords. Pushing the button under his ring finger, Dilandau snapped the Alseides right arm up as the crima chambers took in air to push out the stored liquid. If this was going to be a sword fight, then he had better be prepared for it. The static roared in his ears, the radar to the left of his vision flickered. The blue bots wavered and disappeared. Now Dilandau was a sitting duck with no ears or eyes. In the far distance a dragon's rumbling roar a crossed the field to his ears.

"Rei..." In wouldn't be to long now, he didn't have time for this. Skylar would keep his word; she would cause more damage then anything else here, even this freaky ass guymelef. Lifting the Alseides' arm to take a stances pose he flicked the intercom system. It opened up the system to receive only static, but he didn't care. "Alright, asshole. I don't know how you did it, or give a fuck who you are. But, you're in my way so move it or lose it!" Dilandau gripped down hard on the controls.

"Are those your only fighting words?" The cool male voice came over the intercom just before something slammed into the Alseides. All the warning systems located in his melef that could make noise, made it. _How the hell?_ Outside of the Alseides Dilandau could see an uncomfortably close up of the Alsa 6's sword as it pushed down on him. It was a good thing he took that stand before or he wouldn't have been able to block him. Thus, their dance started. Dilandau knocked the black guymelef off, ignoring the noises around him of the malfunctioning equipment and moved to strike the towering machine. Step for step, move for move, everything he did was matched and turned against him. Frustrated and aggravated, Dilandau continued on, forcing the controls to move in quick jolting movements going against all the formal melef training he had been in. Jolting movements wore out the controls, and ruined joints. He felt the first breach in the Alseides outer armor. Having failed to move quickly enough, the Alsa 6 dug its right sword down into the side of Dilandau's melef. All the noises stopped allowing him to hear the sound of the compressed air slowly escaping. Panic. His mind so fatigued with stress and frustration did the only seeming thing that seemed to be normal in this situation. As long as the Alseides continued to compromise for such a blow, it was immovable. The air was being released to reset the balance to take weight off the damaged side. The controls would not respond to movement until that was done.

Dilandau was a sitting duck in the middle of a raging fire.

Frantically, he pulled on the control's as the Alseides fell to its knees while the Alsa 6 started to retract its sword. Lights whirled around him, reflecting off the water in the cockpit. This was not happening, it could not be happening. He was better then this! Dilandau yanked harder on the controls, cursing in all the tongues the madoushi had ever bothered to let him studied and some he didn't even know he knew. This was not his destiny; he would not allow this to happen. He was the best, perfect, unbeatable. How could he have allowed this to happen! Looking out to the enemy nit that looked over him, he could see its black, bulky armor barely standing out against the rising smoke behind it. The half risen sword glimmered as the sun rays danced a crossed its deadly tip. No, he could not die like this. Not now, not until he saw her one last time.

"Do you feel it now?" Dilandau snapped up, looking away from his controls that he had been frantically trying to get to work. The voice came on clear over the static on the intercom. It was cold, mocking tone that seemed to fit the cold giant in front of him. "I do not see how they could have called you their ultimate weapon...006."

"What?" Widened eyes stared in disbelieve. No one should know that. The madoushi were to well kept on his and Celena's records... unless...

XoX

_"You want me to tell you what?" Folken looked at him, slightly crossed. Papers were scattered all over the table in his study. A familiar red head was crashed and out of it on the other side of the table. She had managed to knock a lot of the papers on the floor. Neither of the two had been sleeping much, not since he and Rei had been recovered. Dilandau stood by the door, arms crossed. He shouldn't really be up, Celena had made a firm note that he was to stay in bed for a few days. Yeah, if she really wanted that to happen she should have been the one guarding his door, not Viole. Sighing, Folken leaned back in his chair looking out to the open balcony doors. The night breeze moved slowly through the open doors. There wasn't enough to disturb any of the loose papers._

_"I am just curious... I know there were more projects then just me and Celena. My memory before my "birth" maybe a little fucked up, but I do recall them. I just wanted to know if any of the others survived..." Dilandau leaned against the door slightly. It was still a little hard to stand on his own, whatever they had pumped him full of had a nasty after effect._

_"And...?"_

_"If Rei helped any of the others, like she tired to for me and Cel..." The silence continued again, as Folken looked out at the still mountains side. The Vione was stationary for the time and wouldn't move until some work of the fourth engine was completed. Dilandau didn't think he was going to get anything really. Folken hadn't been very lenient with information. There wasn't much in the way of hoping he would say anything. Whatever he did say the demon boy would have to except as the truth until he found something else that contradict it or Folken finally said the real truth. There was a ruff of papers. Dilandau's eyes dashed to the red haired woman. Her head hung up slightly while she looked a crossed at Folken._

_"Two...no... There were five..." Sighing she laid her head against her hand. "She tried helping five, but only two survived getting outside the towers. Whether they lived or not is unknown."_

_XoX_

"Weak... All you are is weak..." The voice said, the emotion of anger came across the load static. The Alsa 6 shifted its weight to raise its other sword to bring it straight down through the top of the Alseides. This was it, with the Alseides unable to move away or even to block the assault he was dead. Cold sweat fell down his face as he looked up at his pending doom. Dilandau had always imagined that his death would be on the battle field. Kill doing the only action in life that provided some sort of release, but he could not let this happen now. He could not let her down. "So weak... Why did she even try to save something so pitiful?"

His hands seemed to freeze by the sound of those words. Was he truly weak? He could do nothing here but wait for his own pending death. There was no way he could ever posses the will like the she-demon to go on even though it was heavily inquired.

_Blood dripped steadily down the cross bow's arrow as it stood outside of her chest. White hair fell over her face so that they could not see her demon red eyes. Her small hands curled slightly around the evil thing that now was claming her life. The man she had trusted before her with the weapon in his hands. His voice called out her name as someone grabbed him from behind. The she-demon fell to her knees, and then to the ground. Breathing only one word:_

_"Why?"_

Why? Dilandau tore his eyes up from the cockpit he had been looking at. What was the point of that sacrifice? She had given them a chance at hope, would he repay her kindness by letting this damn man kill him! Then he could do nothing but stand back and watch in horror. Now, the he had grown his own claws, he had the will. For years after that damn nightmare, he vowed never to be so weak again. Dilandau was no longer that fragile child. The warning signals in his melef stopped suddenly as if to answer his call. The Alsa in front of him began to bring down its swords to slice through him.

"Time to DIE!"

"NOT JUST YET!" Dilandau screamed as he slammed the controls forward bring up the crima sword. With the Alsa putting its weight into its weapons, it had not time to move to get away from his sudden move. The only fault in that great melef. His crima sword went through the cockpit. The enemy unit's weapons missed their mark as the melef collapsed. There was a gasping sound that came over the white noise of the com. "I don't care what it is you think you can accomplish by what you have done. But let this thought be with you as you cross into the lines of the walking dead. I will save Rei, I will pay back the beast my debt!" With those words Dilandau rammed a crima claw into the other side of the cockpit.

_xXxXxXxXx_

Celena watched in horror from were she was. She no longer had contacted to her beloved brother, and everything was going to chaotic. Skylar had stopped responding to her as well, she wasn't sure because of the interference or because of Rei. Heaven help them now, someone had let the demon out of its shell. The blond man was going to keep his word, and she would never get to see her friend again. Even though there was a history behind them she couldn't remember as well as Dilandau, she did know this: the woman had oddly enough won the affections of her brother even if he was too stubborn to admit it just like when they were kids. It would tare him apart if she slipped through their fingers like she had then. For so long she continued to suffer, when they had been set free of that pain. The archer units were no longer firing because there was anyway to warn the other units in the field. Only thing they could do was sit back and wait until the link worked again. Celena had lost sight of Rei; the dragon had disappeared from her radar. How? Well there could be lots of reasons how that could be; the simple thing was that Rei didn't want to be found which would mean hell for them all.

_What am I supposed to do? I can't keep sitting back and do nothing!_ Celena banged her controls with her fists as she fought back the tears of frustration.

_"...Cele...can yo...read...me?"_ Folken?

"What?" Celena flicked on her long range intercom. "Vione, repeat!"

"_Celena?"_ His voice came on strong them. O, how she welcomed his voice of reason! _"Celena! Listen to me! I need you to return to the Vione now!"_

"What? Why? The battle is still going on!"

_"Celena, the drug in Rei's chest it's a counter drug for Doom's Day! If it can be administrated into her system there won't be a need to-"_

"I am on my way now!"

_I won't let you down, 009! I will pay you back for the strength you gave me._

* * *

Bet you all just went WTF and had to go reread the perverse chapter huh? Gomen. 

I graduate in a few days so most of my problems will easy up so I can get some writing down. This isn't my only story that has been suffering these pasted few months. In June I hope to get this story to its end… no promises.. I am hoping though….. Thanks for you patients.

Feed the writers, review.


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